Connor Zary – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – A Kings defenceman and Ducks winger are elevating their production, veterans Vladimir Tarasenko, Brent Burns, and Vincent Trocheck are producing, Josh Doan earns a contract extension, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:20:39 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 21: Josh Doan #91 of the Buffalo Sabres skates during a game between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on December 21, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, a Kings defenceman and Ducks winger are elevating their production, veterans Vladimir Tarasenko, Brent Burns, and Vincent Trocheck are producing, Josh Doan earns a contract extension, and so much more!

#1 Los Angeles Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke has earned a bigger role as the season has progressed, and especially with Drew Doughty nursing an injury. In his past six games, Clarke has five points (1 G, 4 A) and 12 shots on goal, while averaging 21:49 of ice time per game. Clarke is generating 3.53 points per 60 during 5-on-4 play, which is clearly best among Kings defencemen, so he should have some security in the role as power play quarterback.

#2 Staying in Southern California, Anaheim Ducks rookie right winger Beckett Sennecke is similarly growing into a bigger role during his rookie season. In his past 11 games, Sennecke is averaging 19:52 of ice time per game, putting up nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 35 shots on goal. He is skating with veterans Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn at even strength while also getting first unit power play time, and the rookie is making the most of his opportunities.

#3 There have been ups and downs this season for Minnesota Wild right winger Vladimir Tarasenko but when he’s cooking, the Wild benefit from his scoring. He may not be delivering like he did during his peak seasons, but the 34-year-old winger does have eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past five games. He is on a veteran line alongside centre Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson, both returning from injuries for Thursday’s home game against Detroit.

#4 While he can get overlooked in Colorado, considering all the star power on the roster, Avalanche defenceman Brent Burns continues to be an effective contributor from the blueline. The 40-year-old defender has produced five points (3 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past six games, and it’s a good reminder that, when he was at his best, Burns was an elite shot generator from the point, and he’s firing pucks again while the Avalanche tend to consistently dominate play.

#5 New York Rangers centre Vincent Trocheck is reportedly finding his way into trade rumours as the season appears to be getting away from the Blueshirts. The veteran pivot has three more years after this one remaining on his contract, but it’s at a reasonable price - $5.625 million cap hit – and he remains productive. In his past 13 games, Trocheck has 15 points (5 G, 10 A) and 28 shots on goal. What sets Trocheck apart, especially for fantasy managers, is that he also has 11 blocked shots and 29 hits in those 13 games, filling even peripheral statistical categories. Trocheck is on a line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere and it’s working right now, but Panarin is also in trade rumours, so who knows where these Rangers stars could be playing by the time the trade deadline arrives.

#6 Buffalo Sabres winger Josh Doan signed a seven-year, $49 million contract extension and the young winger has really taken advantage of the opportunities available in Buffalo this season after arriving in the offseason as part of the trade package from the Utah Mammoth for JJ Peterka. In his past 11 games, Doan has just 14 shots on goal but has still put up 11 points (5 G, 6 A) while averaging 17:31 of ice time per game. He has proven his ability as a scoring winger and is getting ice time with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the Sabres’ top line in addition to first unit power play time.

#7 The Calgary Flames traded defenceman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights and there is some fallout for fantasy managers. In Vegas, Andersson is not likely to supplant Shea Theodore or Noah Hanifin on the power play, so that could limit Andersson’s offensive output. In Calgary, MacKenzie Weegar should return to the top power play unit and he’s a good buy-low option right now, as Weegar has zero points in his past eight games.

#8 Injuries have hindered Seattle Kraken left winger Jared McCann this season, but he is still a threat when he is in the lineup. In his past 13 games, McCann has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) with 32 shots on goal. He is scoring on 18.0 percent of his shots on goal this season, which is well above his career mark of 12.4 percent, so regression could be coming, but McCann is skating on the Kraken’s top line with Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle in addition to getting first unit power play time, so he is getting ample opportunity to live up to his scoring role.

#9 After a slow start to the season, Nashville Predators sniper Steven Stamkos started to find his way into trade rumours, which made sense given where the Predators were in the standings. However, once Stamkos started filling the net, the Preds suddenly turned into playoff contenders. They are right in the hunt now and in his past 21 games, Stamkos has scored 16 goals and 25 points, with 61 shots on goal. While he may not continue to score on 26.2 percent of his shots, as he has during this stretch, but he has scored on 16.7 percent of his shots throughout his career so it’s not like his shooting percentage should collapse.

#10 Every so often, New Jersey Devils centre Cody Glass can heat up for a short burst, showing why he was the sixth overall pick in the 2017 Draft. It tends not to last very long, but Glass does have six points (4 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past six games. He is up to 11 goals on the season, which ties him for fourth on the Devils with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, though Glass is more of a short-term pickup for fantasy managers.

#11 A 27-year-old winger for the Washington Capitals, Ethen Frank has battled to secure a regular spot in the lineup and is now starting to show some of the scoring ability that he displayed in the American Hockey League in previous seasons to earn his look with the Capitals. Frank tallied 82 goals and 127 points in 164 AHL games after his college career at Western Michigan. In his past seven games, Frank has six points (5 G, 1 A) and 18 shots on goal, while averaging 16:41 of ice time per game, a notable jump from the 12:03 per game he had been playing before that. Frank is skating with Nic Dowd and Alex Ovechkin at even strength while also getting second unit power play time, which is enough to put him on the radar of deep league fantasy managers.

#12 Detroit Red Wings centre Andrew Copp has emerged as a solid complementary scorer, holding the second-line centre spot between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. As the Wings have gone 7-1-1 in their past nine games, Copp has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 16 shots on goal. He is up to 30 points (8 G, 22 A) in 52 games, giving him a chance to surpass 40 points for the third time in his career.

#13 Buffalo Sabres right winger Jack Quinn seems to drift in an out of fantasy relevance but when he’s going good, he is a quality source of secondary offence for the Sabres. In his past eight games, Quinn has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 21 shots on goal and seems to have a good thing going with linemates Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker at even strength along with some second unit power play time.

#14 As the Calgary Flames have become sellers before the NHL Trade Deadline, some of their younger players figure to get good opportunities for the rest of this season. Left winger Connor Zary is one of those players. The 2020 first-round pick has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 19 shots on goal and he is getting a look on Calgary’s top line, skating with Nazem Kadri and rookie Matvei Gridin, who has just been recalled from the American Hockey League, where Gridin had 28 points (10 G, 18 A) in 32 games for the Calgary Wranglers.

#15 It would be bold to recommend Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton, who has not scored a goal since November 26, but from the files of “rising tides lift all boats” it’s worth keeping an eye on him anyway. In the month of January, Colton has five assists in nine games, but he also has 33 shots on goal. He has 17.41 shots on goal per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play this month which is the highest shot rate in the entire league. He gets third line and second unit power play ice time, so there is a limit to Colton’s offensive upside, but his shot generation does suggest that he’s going to bust out and start scoring some goals soon.

#16 One of the best players in the league this season, Minnesota Wild left winger Matt Boldy has landed on the injured list with an undisclosed injury. Boldy is tied for fourth in the league with 27 goals in 48 games and he has been a play driving force with the Wild outshooting opponents and outscoring the opposition 38 to 21 during 5-on-5 play with Boldy on the ice. With Boldy out, Marcus Johansson secures a spot in Minnesota’s top six and while that is a drop off, Johansson has 14 points (5 G, 9 A) and 27 shots on goal in his past 18 games. That shot rate isn’t ideal, but Johansson is a reliable source of secondary offence.

#17 Florida Panthers defenceman Seth Jones has landed on LTIR due to an upper-body injury which will also prevent him from playing for Team USA in the Olympics, as he has been replaced on the roster by Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe. In Florida, Jones’ absence means a bigger role for Aaron Ekblad, and the veteran blueliner does have four assists and 13 shots on goal in his past seven games. Also look to Uvis Balinskis, who is getting time on the top power play unit and has three points (2 G, 1 A) with seven shots on goal while averaging 21 minutes of ice time per game in his past five games.

#18 The logjam that was appearing on the New Jersey Devils blueline, which resulted in Dougie Hamilton being a healthy scratch, seems to be alleviated for the time being now that Luke Hughes is injured. Hughes’ shoulder injury will keep him out for at least a month, and he did have seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in his last 10 games prior to getting injured, with three of those seven points coming on the power play. With Hughes out, Hamilton resumes his spot as the quarterback of the Devils power play. He has seven assists and 12 shots on goal in his past six games.

#19 With Ottawa Senators veteran winger David Perron needing surgery for a sports hernia which will keep him out of the lineup for 5-7 weeks, look to Sens winger Ridly Greig, who is starting to heat up. Greig has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past five games and while he only has five shots on goal in that time, he is averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time per game and is skating on a line with Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Cozens, while also getting second-unit power play time, so Greig could build on this hot streak.

#20 Anaheim Ducks centre Leo Carlsson has landed on the injured list with a thigh injury that will keep him out 3-5 weeks following surgery. He has broken though offensively this season, tallying 44 points (18 G, 26 A) in 44 games but this injury is likely going to cost him his spot on Sweden’s Olympic Team. The Ducks’ forward lines have been depleted by injuries, with Carlsson, Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano, and Mason McTavish all dealing with various issues, so it’s an opportunity for a veteran like Ryan Strome to step up. Jansen Harkins has seen his ice time increase, but has not recorded a point in 2026, so maybe consider more proven scoring options for the Ducks.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

McKeen’s 2025-26 All-Star Fantasy Team

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:19:05 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 04: Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) skates during an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings on January 4, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)

Value is the name of the game when drafting or auctioning your fantasy hockey roster.

At the top end of the draft, the familiar names will go because every team needs the foundation that can be provided by superstars – Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, Cale Makar, Connor Hellebuyck etc. – but after a few rounds, there is more often a determination to be made about whether the juice is worth the squeeze when picking some players.

Finding players who can exceed their expected value is a great way to thrive in fantasy hockey, so finding players who have a higher ceiling can be worthwhile. It might mean missing on a few picks, because there is risk involved, so it’s unlikely that you will hit on every value selection but hitting on Martin Necas when his scoring jumped by 30 points last season was great value if you got it.

The objective is to find players who will surpass expectations and sometimes that process can be assisted by expectations being lowered for whatever reason.

Where does one look to find players that have the value of fantasy all-stars?

Good Health

Injuries have an element of bad luck to them and there is no way to know who is and isn’t going to be injured. However, if a player has a track record of having injury problems, that must be taken into account when evaluating their range of outcomes for the upcoming season. The Devils’ Jack Hughes is a prime example. He is good for more than a point-per-game when he plays but has a tendency to get hurt. If you’re picking a player who gets hurt frequently, you have added an extra element of risk where it did not need to exist. There will come a point, however, at which the risk is worth the reward.

New Opportunities

Fantasy hockey value can be found when production meets opportunity and one of the ways for a player to make a big leap forward in his production is to land somewhere with more ice time available to them. It could still be on their same team, or maybe they need to move to another club, but 2-3 more minutes of ice time per game is a good launching pad for more production.

Elevated Play

Progress is not linear, so it can’t be assumed that every young player will continue to score more and more all the way throughout their careers. At the same time, it tends to be players in their second, third, and fourth years in the league that are the prime candidates to elevate their play and become straight-up better than they were the year before.

Track Record

When seeking players who will provide more value, don’t shy away from players who have proven their level of play, but maybe ran into a down season. Maybe it was a low shooting percentage or low on-ice shooting percentage, or injuries or the wrong linemates or a bad coach to blame for whatever went wrong last season. If the player has been productive in the past, it’s easier to give them the benefit of the doubt when faced with some statistical complications.

Last season’s best hits on the Fantasy All-Stars included Tomas Hertl, Logan Cooley, Tom Wilson, Matthew Knies, Marco Rossi and Mikhail Sergachev, all of whom increased their scoring by at least 20 points compared to the previous season. Here is the 2025-2026 edition of McKeen’s Fantasy All-Stars.

FORWARDS

Quinton Byfield, C, Los Angeles

After breaking through with 55 points (20 G, 35 A) primarily as a winger during the 2023-2024 season, Byfield saw his ice time climb more than two minutes per game primarily at center last season, but he finished with 54 points (23 G, 31 A). That might be seen as a little disappointing, but it provides a prime opportunity for the 23-year-old to bust out this season. He offers a rare combination of size, speed, and skill, and Byfield should be ready to take his game to a new level in his third full NHL season.

Matias Maccelli, RW, Toronto

The skilled winger had a career-high 57 points (17 G, 40 A) in 2023-2024 before completely falling out of favour in Utah last season. His ice time dropped 2:30 per game and he managed just 18 points (8 G, 10 A) in 55 games before getting traded to Toronto this summer. This presents a fantastic opportunity for Maccelli, because with Mitch Marner leaving for Las Vegas, there is a spot available for Maccelli to step in and fill the vacated first-line right wing role. Maccelli is a quality playmaker and if he gets the chance to skate regularly with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, Maccelli’s production could soar.

Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Carolina

A talented power forward, Svechnikov suffered with a low (7.5 percent) on-ice shooting percentage on his way to scoring 48 points (20 G, 28 A) in 72 games last season. That was his lowest points per game since his rookie season in 2018-2019. It was undeniably a down season for Svechnikov, but that’s what makes him more readily available for fantasy managers this season and it is still entirely reasonable to expect 60-plus points and at least 140 hits out of Svechnikov, which makes him quite valuable.

Nikolaj Ehlers, RW, Carolina

There has been little dispute about whether Ehlers was a good player in Winnipeg. He was an excellent player who drove play consistently and has had four seasons with at least 60 points, including last season, when he had 63 points (24 G, 39 A) in 69 games. The more difficult part is that he has played fewer than 16 minutes per game for each of the past three seasons and the opportunity could be there for Ehlers to play on Carolina’s first line and first power play, which could boost his ice time, raising the bar for his potential production.

Marco Kasper, C, Detroit

After a strong finish to his rookie season, which included 14 points (9 G, 5 A) and 44 shots on goal in his last 18 games, Kasper is looking to play a much bigger role in his second campaign. Kasper averaged 17:43 of ice time per game in that 18-game stretch, which is a couple of minutes more than he did before that, so if he maintains that kind of role, playing 17-18 minutes per game, then Kasper is likely set to increase his production this year. Making the jump to 50-plus points is a fair expectation and Kasper had 156 hits last season, so he offers well-rounded fantasy value.

Mathew Barzal, C, N.Y. Islanders

An injury-plagued 2024-2025 season saw Barzal manage just 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 30 games, one season after putting up 80 points (23 G, 57 A) in 80 games for the Islanders. Barzal’s underlying numbers were still excellent, with the Islanders controlling 61.6 percent of expected goals with Barzal on the ice during five-on-five play. What undermined his production last season was the Islanders’ terrible power play, so if Barzal can stay reasonably healthy, there should be some regression on the power play, and his point totals could push a point-per-game once again.

Will Cuylle, LW, N.Y. Rangers

Cuylle saw his point total jump from 21 points in 2023-2024 to 45 points (20 G, 256 A) last season, with his ice time climbing by nearly four minutes per game. He is a hard-working physical winger who delivered 301 hits last season and, even if he might not have the highest offensive ceiling, it appears that he should have a shot to play in the Rangers’ top six right from the start of this season. That is an opportunity to play with skilled players who can complement Cuylle’s gritty game. If he continues to improve, and keeps playing the body, Cuylle has a chance to be very valuable for fantasy managers.

Cole Perfetti, RW, Winnipeg

A 23-year-old winger who put up a career-high 50 points (18 G, 32 A) last season, his third season in the National Hockey League, Perfetti has been showing steady improvement in his career, and the arrow appears to be moving up in all areas. His ice time was up, his point production was up, his hits climbed from 26 to 71, and that should all indicate a greater level of trust under head coach Scott Arniel. Let that continue and a smart competitive player like Perfetti will find a way to produce even more.

Ville Koivunen, RW, Pittsburgh

A second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers, Koivunen was acquired as part of the trade for Jake Guentzel in 2024 and Koivunen responded with 56 points (21 G, 35 A) in 63 AHL games last season, earning a promotion to Pittsburgh, where he added seven assists in eight games. While those are encouraging numbers, it’s even more positive that Koivunen looks like he will be in Pittsburgh’s top six and that’s even with Rickard Rakell and Bryant Rust on the roster, and both veterans have been on the trade block for quite some time. If they get moved, that could mean even more playing time for Koivunen.

Boone Jenner, LW, Columbus

A veteran winger who plays hard and fills a lot of categories, Jenner has had some injury issues in recent seasons, including 2024-2025 when he was recovering from shoulder surgery. But, with more time between that surgery and the new season, Jenner should fill a strong complementary role in Columbus, playing in the top six and on the Blue Jacket’s No. 1 power play unit. He had 19 points (7 G, 12 A) with 70 shots on goal in 26 games last season, an effective performance when returning from injury, and he contributes hits and blocked shots, too, so Jenner is a well-rounded contributor when he’s in the lineup.

Connor Zary, RW, Calgary

A first-round pick in 2020, Zary produced 27 points (13 G, 14 A) in 54 games last season, his second season in the NHL, but he has potential for much more. Nine of Zary’s points came on the power play, so he does have a role with the man advantage and that raises his offensive potential, The first reason to be more optimistic about Zary is that he has a chance to play in a prominent role, potentially on a line with veterans Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. Another reason to like Zary to score more this season is that, like many Flames players, he had a low on-ice shooting percentage (6.0 percent) last season and that is a number that is ripe for regression.

Jiri Kulich, C, Buffalo

A 21-year-old who has already played two AHL seasons, Kulich contributed 24 points (15 G, 9 A) in 62 games for the Sabres last season. He is a talented player with strong puck skills, which is fine, there are lots of young players who can claim that, but Kulich is looking at an opportunity to possibly play with Tage Thompson on the Sabres’ top line and Thompson is a two-time 40-goal scorer, so if Kulich gets that spot, and finds a place on Buffalo’s top power play unit, then there is a chance for his numbers to jump significantly this season.

DEFENSE

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago

A 2022 first-round pick, Rinzel is a 6-foot-4, puck-moving defenceman who is set to take on a huge role for the Blackhawks. In two seasons at the University of Minnesota, he had 60 points (12 G, 48 A) in 79 games and when his sophomore season ended, he jumped straight into the Blackhawks lineup. He contributed five assists and 22 shots on goal with 12 hits in nine games for Chicago, with three of those points coming on the power play and, going into the 2025-2026 season, Rinzel would be the leading candidate to quarterback the Blackhawks’ power play this season.

Rasmus Andersson, D, Calgary

A steady veteran blueliner who is heading for unrestricted free agency next summer, Andersson will be highly motivated to perform, and he was another Flames player undermined by a low on-ice shooting percentage last season. There were 138 defencemen that played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes last season and none of them had a lower on-ice shooting percentage than Andersson’s 5.7 percent. Not only that, but the player ranked 137, Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson, was at 6.2 percent, so it wasn’t close. Anyway, regression should work in Andersson’s favour and he should soar past last season’s 31 points (11 G, 20 A).

Olen Zellweger, D, Anaheim

A nimble puck-moving defenceman, Zellweger has great instincts and the confidence to make plays, which could make him the primary quarterback on the Ducks’ power play this season. He has 29 points (9 G, 20 A) in 88 games for the Ducks across the past two seasons, but his track record, from dominating in the Western Hockey League to putting up 37 points (12 G, 25 A) in 44 AHL games for San Diego in 2023-2024, there is a path to him being a quality point producer in the NHL.

Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh

It’s not often that a 38-year-old defenceman might be a valuable fantasy pick, but Letang has a chance, in part because he’s one of the few proven performers on the Penguins blueline and if Erik Karlsson gets moved, as has been rumoured for a while, then Letang could return to Pittsburgh’s top power play unit. Even without that hypothetical, he has recorded at least 100 hits and 100 blocked shots in each of the past four seasons, so he offers well-rounded value, especially if he puts up more than last season’s total of 30 points, his lowest since 2013-2014.

John Klingberg, D, San Jose

Having played a total of 25 regular-season games over the past two seasons, it looked like Klingberg’s days of being a productive NHL defencemen were coming to an end, but he had a good opportunity to play for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs and secured a contract with the San Jose Sharks. It’s a good landing spot for Klingberg because he’s the best option on the blueline in San Jose to run the power play and with skilled young players up front, it might even be a productive unit.

Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia

A veteran blueliner who played a career-high 24:30 per game last season and earned a spot on Team Canada at the Four Nations Face-Off, Sanheim is the most reliable defender on the Flyers blueline and that includes being able to stay in the lineup, as he has missed five games in the past five seasons. This is relevant because Sanheim is slated to quarterback Philadelphia’s second power play unit, with Jamie Drysdale running the No. 1 unit for the Flyers. Drysdale has had more trouble staying healthy, and Sanheim could step into that PP1 role at some point.

GOAL

Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston

The Bruins may not have a great squad in front of him this season, but Swayman had a down season in 2024-2025, arriving in camp late after an extended contract negotiation, but the Bruins also lost defencemen Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, their two best defenders by a healthy margin, to significant injuries. If the defence is healthy in front of him, and Swayman bounces back to his previous level of play, he can be a valuable starting netminder.

Karel Vejmelka, G, Utah

With turmoil in Utah’s crease last season, Vejmelka stepped up and played at a high level while appearing in a career-high 58 games. If he can merely duplicate that season, he should be very valuable because the Mammoth have a strong enough team that they should be in the playoff mix, which means that Vejmelka will have the chance to put up quality fantasy numbers.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Team Preview/Player Preview/Predictions

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:41:59 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 01: Calgary Flames left wing Jonathan Huberdeau (10) as seen during an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and The Utah Hockey Club on April 1, 2025 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire)

Although expectations weren’t very high heading into last season, things changed as the games wore on and confidence grew. Calgary finished the season with 96 points and missed out on the postseason only because the St. Louis Blues edged them out with the tiebreaker. The 15-point improvement was impressive, and the outstanding consistent play of rookie goalie Dustin Wolf (29-16-8, .910 save percentage in 53 games) helped spur them on. They were also good at doing a lot of little things right. They had the seventh best CorsiFor percentage at five-on-five in the league (51.7) and yet didn’t have anyone on the team reach 70 points and just one 30 goal scorer (Nazem Kadri with 35). It might seem like the Flames succeeded with a lot of smoke and mirrors, and surely 14 overtime/shootout losses helped points-wise as did their 19-2-14 record in one-goal games, but the collective “click” that happened within the group is something for them to build on. With a solid puck possession foundation and a good, young goalie, anything can happen.

What’s Changed?

The offseason was virtually silent. Calgary had no coaching changes, no major trades nor signings, and did everything to retain their own players. Defenceman Kevin Bahl signed a six-year, $32.1 million extension and forward Matt Coronato inked a seven-year, $45.5 million extension in May. They lost backup goalie Dan Vladar to Philadelphia and signed Ivan Prosvetov, formerly of the Arizona Coyotes, out of the KHL. Anthony Mantha signed with Pittsburgh as well.

What Would Success Look Like?

If the Flames can recreate what they accomplished last season but come out on the right side of the tiebreaker, they’ll take it. You could argue they hit above their weight in the standings a year ago, but teams generally don’t always trip and fall into a near 100-point season. There are areas of growth to be had and big decisions to be made. Impending UFA Rasmus Andersson will be a big target at the trade deadline whether Calgary is in the playoff race or not and what they can pull from another team in a trade will be important to their short- and-long-term future. That said, with prospect Zayne Parekh on the near horizon, he’s enough reason to feel good about the future. If Connor Zary can take a big step forward and guys like Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee can get their games back in full, a playoff appearance isn’t an unreasonable expectation.

What Could Go Wrong?

The razor’s edge the Flames had success living on last season could work against them this time around. Getting games to overtime worked very well for them to at least get one point but if Kadri is unable to score prolifically again and Jonathan Huberdeau goes cold and aren’t able to provide the proper guiding hand for the rest of the forward group, that would force Wolf and Prosvetov to be near perfect too often to be reasonable to keep playoff hopes alive. If Andersson’s situation becomes a distraction, that could be the sort of thing that sends a team into a rut that’s hard to escape from until a move is made. Although they have to deal with Vegas, Edmonton and Los Angeles within the division, if Vancouver, Seattle, Anaheim and San Jose make their own progress, it would make things much more difficult.

Top Breakout Candidate

We’ve seen extended glimpses of how good Zary can be over his first two seasons. Injuries wreaked havoc on him in each of those seasons, but he scored 27 goals with 34 assists (61 points) in 117 games, and he’ll continue to get a long look in the Flames’ top six. If he’s able to steer clear of injuries and lean on Kadri and Huberdeau to help generate chances, he’ll be able to cash in much more often with his own speed and skill.

FORWARDS

Nazem Kadri

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	29	31	60	0.73

Kadri is the closest thing the Flames have to a star, and if he produces like he did the last two seasons you could do worse. He’s coming off a career high in goals and is Calgary’s go-to guy for all things concerning offence. Since joining the Flames, he has been among the league leaders in controlled zone entries, as he always wants the puck on his stick and embraces the role as the undisputed 1C. The play almost always goes through him and he’s still got the speed to be a threat on the rush. The drawback with Kadri’s offensive game is that he will sometimes sacrifice some quality for quantity, not looking to pass when someone is open or taking a lot of quick shots without any puck movement or deception. Last season, his shoot-heavy style paid off with 35 goals and forming some much-needed chemistry with Jonathan Huberdeau at even strength. Kadri’s best seasons have always come when he wasn’t his team’s top center and that isn’t the case in Calgary right now. He produces enough to make you happy, but there is always something missing that keeps him from being considered a true 1c. He is good enough at most things to play at that spot, but you always wish his shooting, playmaking and defensive play were about 10% better if he’s going to be one of your best players.

Jonathan Huberdeau

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	24	40	64	0.80

With the cap rising and Calgary going through a retool, using Huberdeau is becoming less about justifying his $10.5 mil. salary and more about getting him producing like a first liner again. While he’s an elite playmaker, Huberdeau was never the easiest guy to plug-and-play into a lineup. He plays at a slower pace and is always two or three steps ahead of the play, which can be a game-breaker but also a detriment if his linemates aren’t on the same page as him. It was the latter for his first two years in Calgary, but last year was a major step to getting him back on the right track. He began to play as more of a complementary piece rather than someone who needs the puck to go through him, going to the net to jump on rebounds and cheating a little bit in the defensive zone to get breakaway opportunities. Also posing as more of a shooting threat from the left circle on the power play, which caught some teams off-guard early on. Huberdeau’s always been a high-percentage shooter, but he was so one-dimensional in how he played that it didn’t yield many goals. His newfound willingness to shoot along with how selective he is in how he gets his shots helped Huberdeau have his best season with the Flames so far. Even without it, there is some increased trust in Huberdeau as a key piece of the roster, as he was added to the penalty kill along with playing top line minutes at even strength for the entire year.

Joel Farabee

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	12	16	28	0.36

Just a year ago, Farabee looked like a reliable second- or third-line option as a speedy winger who could pitch in with some offence. He was one of the Flyers consistent bright spots in what’s been a dismal stretch of hockey for the franchise. Unfortunately, last year was one to forget for him. There wasn’t much that changed as far as his process went. He still was one of the better players on the team at carrying the puck into the zone and did an excellent job of getting chances off the rush. Farabee just couldn’t find the back of the net to save his life, and it wasn’t from a lack of trying as he was second on the team in dividual scoring chances at five-on-five. It’s something most expected to get better and it never did, not even stints on the top line with Konecny and Couturier could solve it. He was ultimately traded to Calgary and things didn’t get better. They started him on the Kadri line but he was shifted all over the lineup with stints on a checking unit with Mikael Backlund before ultimately finishing the season on the fourth line. Farabee isn’t far removed from a 50-point season, so there is hope that he can turn the corner with some better shooting luck next year. How much of a leash Calgary gives him in the top six will likely decide how he does. He’s paid more than some of their options, so they will try to get him going and his quick-strike ability off the rush gives him an element some of their other wingers don’t have.

Mikael Backlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	14	24	38	0.46

Now one of the longest tenured players in the league, Backlund has been the Flames bedrock through numerous coaches and roster reconstructions. He is the ideal iteration of the modern shutdown center, as he excels at flipping possession on his own through strong zone exits, setting the table for the next line to play their shift in the offensive zone. He brings this same level of aggression on the penalty kill as well, he is routinely one of the league leaders in shorthanded shots and zone entries, combine that with how reliable he is on faceoffs, and it’s hard to ask for much more from your shutdown center. Finding a replacement will be incredibly difficult for the Flames and they are seeing some of these problems now. Backlund is now 36 years old and still plays high-end second line minutes and scores like a third liner now. He’s capable offensively, but his game is very simple and straight-forward, which can work on the third line but less so when you’re playing 18 minutes a night in addition to being on the power play. Calgary just doesn’t have any better options and Backlund’s game is likely going to stay where its at or decline as he gets closer to 40. These are problems for further down the road, as Backlund currently plays an important role as a steady presence and easing some of Calgary’s younger forwards into the NHL.

Morgan Frost

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	25	40	0.49

Frost had an interesting start to his Flames career with nine of his 12 points coming on the power play and when you look at the clips of the goals, only or two came off a direct play from him. This isn’t to say he didn’t earn those points, because he did a lot to set the table for those goals by either getting the puck into the zone cleanly or moving it from high to low as the quarterback from the left side. Frost brings a lot of raw skill to the table and it’s not always easy to point out because so much of what he does involves things like that, building the play up rather than making the highlight reel pass or goal. He did score a couple nice goals off the rush and has excellent hands, but you don’t see a lot of dazzling or high impact plays from him. It’s tough for a player to carve out a role like this because he’s probably not going to be a point-producer and it’s easier to stick on the third line if you’re a more physical player or a defensive specialist, something Frost isn’t. Frost does fill the type of niche that could work in Calgary, though. With Backlund soaking up the defensive minutes, there is room for more a scoring-focused third line that Frost could slide into. The problem is Frost excels at setting the table for higher skilled linemates who can take advantage of the open space, something that you don’t always get on the third line. He did enough last year to warrant more of a look and the door is open for him to step into some kind of scoring role, even if it’s only on the second power play unit.

Matt Coronato

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	28	27	55	0.69

You don’t have to watch Coronato for long to figure out what his game is all about. He is all offence all the time, always skating downhill and usually leaned over in a shooting posture. It’s easy for a smaller forward like him to get lost in the shuffle, but he found a lot of creative ways to make time and space for himself to get his shot off. Coronato had a knack for corralling inaccurate passes or getting his own rebound off a block to score on a turnaround shot. He did a marvelous job of creating chances you don’t typically see a lot of in the NHL with how he would pull away from the net to create more of a swooping wrist shot that caught more than a few goaltenders off-guard. It was impressive enough for the Flames to re-sign him for seven years, making him part of their core for the long haul. Coronato excelled when the play was moving downhill, creating most of his offence off the rush with a good majority of them coming off turnovers in the neutral zone. This speaks highly of his ability as a game-breaker but also shows where he can improve, as his linemates had to do most of the work with the puck for him in the other two zones. From the blue line in, he was dynamite, developing a more all-around game offensively is the next step.

Blake Coleman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	14	24	38	0.46

Coleman repeating his 30-goal season was a longshot and the Flames probably knew that going into last season. His returning to being a 15 goal/39 point guy wasn’t a huge blow as some other wingers in Calgary picked up the slack and Coleman brings so much more to the table. He’s one of the least appreciated two-way wingers in the league, which feels silly to say about a two-time Cup winner but even then you never heard his name thrown around for the Selke despite him checking most of the boxes for the award. Like Backlund, he is one of the most trusted forwards on the team, excellent at flipping possession through good zone exits and he does very well with playing the keep-away game in the offensive zone. He can also strike on the rush when the opportunity is there, as he’s deceptively good with the puck when playing with speed. He keeps the Flames at a decent base level with his solid defensive play, especially on the penalty kill, and it’s why he usually plays top six minutes even though he has more of a third line skillset. Coleman pushed to the third line would be good news for Calgary because he is more properly slotted there and they do need more proven scorers. He is also reaching the end of his contract, so he’s an interesting trade piece if Calgary opts to go that route.

Yegor Sharangovich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	19	15	34	0.43

Sharangovich’s second year in Calgary was tough out of the gate, missing almost all of October after suffering an injury in the final preseason game. He struggled to follow up his 30-goal season as he went through prolonged cold spells and was even healthy scratched for a couple games late in the year. Goal-scorers like him aren’t immune to struggles but the problem was he wasn’t even creating chances, seeing his shot rate dip from 9.03 shots per 60 minutes to 6.39, the lowest rate of his career. Sharangovich is usually more of a high quality/low quantity shooter, but he was struggling to even get the high danger scoring chances this past season, going from 4.40 chances per 60 minutes to 2.67. What’s even more alarming is that both his shot and chance production have been steadily declining since arriving in Calgary and he’s only one year into a five-year contract. It’s uncertain how much injuries affected him, but it would explain a lot of what went wrong. He’s someone who plays more off the puck, focusing more on getting open and letting the higher-skilled linemates find him, but he has enough skill to make the build-up plays to help connect the dots with his linemates. This past year, he was much less involved overall, and Calgary is hoping a clean bill of health will get Sharangovich back on track.

Connor Zary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	16	23	39	0.54

One could argue that Zary has shown the most potential out of the Flames young corps. He already has an impressive collection of highlight reel goals and isn’t shy about trying to stick-handle through defenders. His all-around play has also come around nicely as Calgary is usually on the right side of the scoring chance battle when he’s on the ice. He’s also been able to mold his game to fit what his linemates need, acting as more of a playmaker alongside Kadri and Pospisal and playing more of a direct, shoot-first game with a revolving door of linemates this past season. Zary is still figuring out his game at the NHL level, so the instability with linemates didn’t do him any favors. He didn’t have a lot of help with guys setting him up, so he had to be a one-man show for most of his offence. While impressive, it’s not the most sustainable way to stick in the NHL unless you’re a superstar. Zary showed he could be a good playmaker in his rookie season but didn’t have anyone to setup this year, so it was on him to carry the production on his lines. He also suffered two knee injuries in the second half of the year, which derailed most of his momentum. The good news from the off-season was that he won’t require surgery and should be ready for training camp, so this year is another fresh start for the young winger to take things to the next level.

DEFENCE

Mackenzie Weegar

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	9	41	50	0.61

An interesting way to look at Weegar is asking what it will take for him to represent Team Canada at the Olympics instead of only the World Championships, because he checks most of the boxes to be on their roster. As a right-handed defenceman who skates well, he’s already a wanted commodity and he has an underrated dynamic offensive skillset. Great at walking the blue-line, anticipating where the puck is going and getting shots through, Weegar fits the mold of the modern NHL defenceman to a T. Complementary to the forwards while having the mobility to cover for his mistakes when they happen. His 20-goal season in 2024 was likely a result of him carrying the burden of the offence and some of that was lessened this past year, taking fewer shots and being less involved in general from that scope. He made up for it by carrying the defence on his back, playing mostly with guys looking to break into the top four and making their jobs easier. Weegar is one of the most heavily taxed defencemen in the league with how many pucks he has to retrieve and he is one of the best at turning them into clean exits, a master at bumping the puck to himself off the wall to create a lane for himself or subtly poking the puck away from a forward to start an exit. He is great at attacking from angles, recovering on plays where he’s beat wide and patrols the front of the net well despite being a smaller defender. He is still the Flames “do it all” player for the foreseeable future.

Rasmus Andersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	8	26	34	0.45

Along with Weegar, Andersson is one of the Flames rocks on the blue line. He’s a slower skater but covers more ground with his long stride and uses his upper body well to pick up speed when he needs to. He spent most of last season alongside a more aggressive-minded defenceman in Kevin Bahl, so Andersson had to be more selective with jumping into the play, as he doesn’t have the footspeed to recover if he gets caught. He was effective when he got to join the offence, posting another double-digit goal season. His defensive play was somewhat of a mixed bag, as he played somewhat of a passive role there. Andersson uses his frame well to square up on puck-carriers entering the zone, but once the puck got into the zone is where his skills were limited. Wanting Bahl to play physical, Andersson spent most of his time patrolling the front of the net and had to deal with a lot of forecheck pressure if he got a chance to move the puck. It was normal for him to have periods or entire games where the only time he got to touch the puck was to move it along the wall. Sometimes it paid off, as he did well as the late guy coming on counter-attack chances, but those only happen so often and most of Andersson’s ice time was spent trying to put out fires in his own zone. He still had a solid offensive season despite this, but the heavy workload and responsibility appeared to be too much for Andersson to handle at times and it will be interesting to see how teams value him when he hits the free agent market next year.

Jake Bean

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	4	10	14	0.19

Calgary seemed like a good landing spot for the former first round pick, a high-end offensive defenceman in WHL and AHL. There was an open top four spot that he could feasibly jump into and he filled a void on a team looking for a puck-mover. The offence still hasn’t come around for him, but there is a spot for a puck-mover with some size on any NHL roster and Bean was still somewhat of an unknown commodity after an injury-riddled stint in Columbus. His first year with the Flames was spent primarily on the third pair with some penalty kill duty mixed in. With power play time being hard to come by with Weegar and Andersson ahead of him on the depth chart, Bean had to toe the line between playing safe to stay in the lineup or showing the aggressive offensive side of his game. He is the type that wants to look for the extra pass or make a 50-foot breakout to spring a breakaway if nothing is open. Those risks don’t come back to haunt if you’re playing sheltered minutes as he did, but they did when he got a brief audition on Weegar’s partner late in the season. Thus, Bean had to play a safe game most of the time, and he had a modest season with okay numbers.

Kevin Bahl

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	4	21	25	0.30

Making the jump to a full-time top four defenceman made Kevin Bahl a very rich man this summer. His five year, $32.1 million contract was somewhat of a shock to the hockey world because points are usually what gets you paid and Bahl set a career high with only 20. It was also only his second full year in the league, but he showed a lot of value as a defensive presence. He also fits the trend the league is going in as a massive, physical defenceman who isn’t a butcher with the puck. Will he make a lot highlight reel plays? Probably not, but he can make the 10-15 foot passes to kickstart the breakout or help you re-enter the zone. There are pros and cons to how aggressive he plays because while he can kill a lot of cycles, shiftier forwards know how to get around him and there is a feast-or-famine element to his game because of that. This is especially true with how he defends his blue line, always looking to square up on the puck-carrier or go for the big hit. When it works, it’s great, when it doesn’t, it’s a fire drill. The bigger, physical defensemen started to get phased out of the league a few years ago, but the newer breed of players like Bahl offer more versatility to their games rather than being out there to deliver hits and block shots. Not a lot of defencemen of Bahl’s stature or point production get the minutes or the contract he did, so it will be interesting to see which similar players emerge.

Goal

Dustin Wolf

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
57	25	22	6	3	.906	2.80

The Calgary Flames just barely missed the postseason last year, but it certainly wasn't for lack of a star-powered goaltender. So, it appears they entered the off-season with the logic that things shouldn't be fixed unless they're broken - and while they did make a slight change with their backup options in net, they've officially given up-and-comer Dustin Wolf their vote of confidence as the team's clear-cut number one. They'll enter the 2025-26 season with one of the most economically friendly goaltending tandems in the entire NHL, offering Wolf as their starter still on his first post-entry level deal for just $850,000, and then recent North American returnee Ivan Prosvetov for only $100,000 more than Wolf.

Like Dan Vladar before him, Prosvetov will serve as a fun foil for Wolf in net; he's as lanky and fluid with his movement as Wolf is short, compact, and precise. After a tough go with Colorado during the 2023-24 season, though, Prosvetov made an interesting move; instead of continuing to attempt fighting it out in an NHL depth chart to prove himself, the Russian-born former Coyotes prospect opted to sign a one-year deal in the KHL and head back home. His numbers with CSKA Moscow suggest it was the right move; he put up one of his best seasons since coming to North America as a teen, and his play looked like he regained his confidence and rhythm enough to make this a clever educated gamble for Calgary. As a bonus, if he doesn't work out, they have an eager Devin Cooley waiting in the wings - and with Wolf's inevitable contract extension coming up, they aren't going to be strapped to pay their star what he wants. Now, it's just a matter of seeing just how good he can be this year - and if Calgary can finally return to the postseason.

NHL: DADOUN – FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Nashville has a steep climb, Boston makes a coaching change, Winnipeg’s scoring slows down plus much, much more

Ryan Dadoun — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 16:46:42 +0000

We’re a little over a quarter of the way through the season, so we’re at the point where teams that have been doing poorly should be nervous and nowhere is that truer than Nashville. The Predators made a big push over the summer with the additions of forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, but the Predators are still just 7-12-6 and are tied for last offensively with 2.32 goals per game.

SUNRISE, FL - NOVEMBER 07: Nashville Predators Steven Stamkos (91) looks on during the game between the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers on Thursday November 07, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

At this point, the question isn’t if the situation is bad, it’s just how bad it is. The 2018-19 St. Louis Blues are the gold standard for hope. At their worst, they looked like a lottery team, but in the end, they won the Stanley Cup. So how was St. Louis after 25 games? 9-13-3, which amounts to nearly the same record from a points perspective.

So maybe there’s still hope for the Predators, but there’s also a reason why the Blues are such a memorable story: For every 18-19 Blues, there are countless teams that performed poorly over the first two months and simply continued to be bad for the rest of the campaign. Plus, it’s not just about rebounding, it’s the magnitude of the task ahead of Nashville.

In 2023-24, it took 98 points to get a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Let’s say for the sake of argument, 93 points will end up being good enough this year. That would amount to a 36-20-1 record the rest of the way. In terms of points percentage, that’s .640, which is a pace currently exceeded by only six teams. So doable, but it needs to start soon because the longer Nashville is even mediocre, let alone bad, the task only gets harder.

Stamkos spoke about the problem after Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay on Friday, arguing that the Predators have too many players who aren’t working hard enough to create offense.

"It's OK to be frustrated because we're not scoring. But you counter that by work ethic and getting into the game in different ways," Stamkos said, per The Tennessean. "If you're not scoring, what else are you doing out there? What else can you do to help your team win? I've just felt like, for whatever reason, in these stretches, we tend to go the other way."

Rather than use that as motivation, the Predators then suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to Minnesota on Saturday. To be fair, the Wild are a great team, it was a close game, and the Predators were playing for the third time in four days. Those are all factors to make the loss more understandable. The trouble is, Nashville isn’t in a position to be content with understandable losses.

Boston Bruins (Tue vs DET, Wed @ CHI. Sat vs PHI)

Replacing head coach Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco hasn’t helped the Bruins so far. They’re an okay, but not great 3-2-0 with their new bench boss, giving them an 11-11-3 record overall. That might change next week, though, thanks to a favorable schedule. Boston will host the Red Wings on Tuesday, play in Chicago on Wednesday and then return home to face the Flyers on Saturday.

Whenever there’s a new coach, it’s always a good idea to look for which players have benefited from the change. In the case of the Bruins, though, it’s a bit hard to find offensive winners because the team has continued the offensive struggles that were present under Montgomery. Boston averaged just 2.40 goals per game with Montgomery, and that’s dropped to a mere 2.00 goals per game under Sacco.

Elias Lindholm does have four points across the Bruins’ past five games, which is a step up from his nine points in 20 outings before the Montgomery firing, but take that with a grain of salt because his recent success is propped up by a three-assist showing against the Islanders on Wednesday. Lindholm has also been held off the scoresheet in three of the last five contests, which isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.

Tyler Johnson has recorded his first two assists of the 2024-25 campaign under Sacco, which is interesting, but Sacco also made Johnson a healthy scratch twice across the past five games. Still, I think Johnson is worth keeping an eye on because Boston desperately needs secondary scoring, and that’s a role he can fill.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Boston seems to have at least tightened its game defensively under Sacco, allowing just 1.60 goals per game with the new bench boss compared to 3.45 with Montgomery.

Jeremy Swayman has had a rough campaign with a 6-9-2 record, 3.09 GAA and .892 save percentage in 17 appearances in 2024-25, but he may have turned a corner, stopping 66 of 70 shots (.943 save percentage) across his past three starts. He still won only one of those outings due to a lack of offensive support, but if he can continue to play like he has been recently, then the Bruins will be in a far better position.

Calgary Flames (Tue vs CBJ, Thu @ STL, Sun @ DAL)

The Flames have a respectable 12-9-4 record, but they’ve dropped their last four games, putting them in danger of ruining their relatively positive start to the campaign. The Flames will try to right the ship in home games against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday and the Blues on Thursday. Calgary will conclude the week with a challenging road tilt against the Stars.

Calgary’s recent losing skid has come on the road, which seems to be a theme for the Flames this year. They’re 9-3-0 at home and 3-6-4 outside of the Saddledome. It’s like looking at two different teams. In Calgary, the Flames have averaged 2.83 goals per game and have allowed 2.25 goals per game, but on the road that changes to 2.23 goals per game and 3.54 goals allowed per game.

Jonathan Huberdeau is one of the starkest examples of that home/road split. He leads the team offensively in Calgary with nine points (five goals) in 12 appearances and has just five points (three goals) in 13 road outings. Mikael Backlund is another forward who has fallen into that trap, supplying seven points (three goals) in 12 home games, but just three points (one goal) through 13 road appearances. Meanwhile, Andrei Kuzmenko has a goal and seven points at home, but just two assists on the road.

Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary are two exceptions who have done fine regardless. Kadri has a nine/eight home/road point split while Zary has supplied six points in each category. However, outside of rare cases like that, you might want to avoid using Calgary players on the road until the team shows it can travel better. Fortunately, that won’t be a concern for fantasy managers for the early stages of the upcoming week.

Colorado Avalanche (Tue @ BUF, Thu @ CAR, Sat @ DET, Sun @ NJD)

Colorado doesn’t have that stark contrast between home and away -- the Avalanche are mediocre in both cases, resulting in a 13-12-0 record. Colorado has lost its last two contests, but it will continue its quest to emerge from its early season inconsistency during a road stretch that will see the Avalanche in Buffalo on Tuesday, Carolina on Thursday, Detroit on Saturday and New Jersey on Sunday.

Injuries have been an ongoing story for the Avalanche this campaign, and I’ll discuss the latest on that front in a minute, but goaltending has also been part of the problem. Although Alexandar Georgiev has stabilized somewhat, he’s still left plenty to be desired with his 7-6-0 record, 3.33 GAA and .872 save percentage in 15 appearances in 2024-25. The problem Colorado faced was the 24-year-old Justus Annunen didn’t seem capable of stealing the job from him, posting a 6-4-0 record, 3.22 GAA and .872 save percentage across 11 outings.

As a result, Colorado packaged Annunen with a 2025 sixth-round pick Saturday to get Scott Wedgewood from Nashville. Wedgewood has a 1-2-1 record, 3.69 GAA and .878 save percentage in five appearances this year, so it’s not like anyone holds any illusion that he will enter Colorado and be its savor, but at least he’s a veteran goaltender who has been serviceable in the past in the backup role. If nothing else, Wedgewood has a bigger opportunity to get starts in Colorado behind Georgiev than he did in Nashville behind Juuse Saros.

On the injury front, Miles Wood suffered an upper-body injury recently and is now regarded as month-to-month. Meanwhile, Jonathan Drouin, who made his return from injury Nov. 15, logged just four games before coming back out of the lineup and is now regarded as week-to-week. Defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) is also week-to-week after suffering the injury Friday. The only real silver lining on the injury front is that Ross Colton (foot) has started to skate.

This isn’t the most injured Colorado has been this year, but it’s still not great that Colorado has four players on IR or LTIR (Wood, Colton, Tucker Poolman and Gabriel Landeskog) as well as three more on the sidelines (Mason, Drouin and Oliver Kylington).

John Ludvig, who has logged just five games this year, will probably start playing regularly because of Mason and Kylington’s absences on the blue line. Nikolai Kovalenko will also probably feature semi-regularly on the second line until Drouin is back. At the end of the day, though, not much should be expected of Ludvig or Kovalenko from a fantasy perspective.

Dallas Stars (Mon @ UTA, Wed @ LAK, Fri @ VGK, Sun vs CGY)

The Central Division has been dominated by Winnipeg and Minnesota, but Dallas has been strong too with a 14-8-0 record. The Stars will look to maintain that success next week. They’ll play in Utah on Monday, Los Angeles on Wednesday and Vegas on Friday before concluding the week with a home game against the Flames on Sunday.

Dallas is lucky to have Matt Duchene. After the final three campaigns of his seven-year, $56 million contract were bought out by Nashville (a team which, incidentally, could really use him right now), it made a certain amount of sense for him to ink a one-year, $3 million contract for the 2023-24 season so that he would have a chance to reestablish himself. However, after scoring 25 goals and 65 points across 80 regular-season outings with the Stars in 2023-24, he decided to ink another one-year, $3 million contract for this season.

I have a hard time believing that’s the best he could do, but Dallas is a team that’s capable of competing for the Cup, and signing that massively team-friendly contract has allowed the Stars to ice the best roster they could. For his part, Duchene is thriving in Dallas with 12 goals and 27 points through 22 outings. After registering an assist in a 5-3 win over Colorado on Friday, he’s on a four-game scoring streak (two goals, four assists).

In contrast to Duchene’s success, Roope Hintz has left something to be desired. The 28-year-old forward has nine goals and 14 points through 21 appearances in 2024-25. That puts him on pace to reach the 30-goal milestone for the fourth straight campaign, but Hintz collapse in terms of playmaking has been noticeable. That might be in part due to some bad luck, though. Hintz is on pace for 15 primary assists in 2024-25, which would actually be just a mild drop from his 17 in 2023-24. However, he has only one secondary assist this year after reaching the double digits in that category in each of the previous three campaigns.

Hintz is playing alongside Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston, so the assists should come. If his lower point total has led to fantasy managers in your league(s) undervaluing Hintz, then now would be a nice time to buy low.

Robertson is another good buy-low candidate. He has five goals and 13 points through 22 appearances, in large part because of a nine-game stretch from Oct. 26-Nov. 18 in which he had no goals and two assists. The 25-year-old has been inconsistent this campaign, but he has also supplied over 25 goals and 79 points in each of his previous three years, so I have faith that he’s going to start turning things around. One key area to monitor is his performance on the power play. He finished each of the past three campaigns with over 20 points with the man advantage, but he’s been limited to just a goal and three points in that category in 2024-25.

Keep in mind that Robertson missed a good chunk of training camp and didn’t play in the preseason because he was recovering from foot surgery. His old linemate Joe Pavelski is also gone after retiring over the summer. Those might be contributing factors for his sluggish start, but Robertson should still find his rhythm as the campaign progresses.

Florida Panthers (Tue @ PIT, Thu @ PHI, Sat vs SJS)

Florida has won its past three games decisively, outscoring the competition 17-4. The Panthers will take that momentum into Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Florida will then play in Philadelphia on Thursday and host the Sharks on Saturday.

Sam Bennett continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Panthers. He’s been a solid secondary scorer for years, but he’s found another level this season, supplying 12 goals and 23 points through 24 appearances. He’s showing no signs of slowing either, supplying three markers and four points over his past three outings. His 16.2 shooting percentage is a potential warning sign -- his career average is 10.6 -- but he’s also generating assists at a much better rate than normal, so his success might be more than just some good puck luck.

Bennett’s far from the only Panthers forward who has done well recently. Evan Rodrigues has been streaky this campaign and is going through one of his good patches, supplying a goal and three points across his past three games. That gives him six goals and 13 points through 25 outings in 2024-25.

The only major point of concern for Florida thus far has been Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a 3.04 GAA and an .890 save percentage through 17 appearances in 2024-25. While I wouldn’t write off a netminder as accomplished as Bobrovsky over a sluggish start, Spencer Knight has outperformed him thus far with a 2.31 GAA and .911 save percentage across nine outings, so it would be interesting to see if the Panthers shift to a 1A/1B arrangement. That would also help keep the 36-year-old veteran fresh for the playoffs, especially given Bobrovsky’s heavy workload in recent years due to Florida’s back-to-back trips to the finals.

New York Islanders (Tue @ MTL, Thu vs SEA, Sat vs CAR, Sun @ OTT)

The Panthers rank fifth in terms of goals per game (3.64) while the Islanders are 26th (2.56), but surprisingly, New York is the team with more players who have hit double digits in terms of goals. Sam Reinhart and Bennett have achieved that feat with the Panthers while Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee and Brock Nelson have each provided 10 markers with the Islanders.

Will that trio be able to save the sinking Islanders, who have lost six of their past eight games? The squad will play in Montreal on Tuesday before returning home for contests against the Kraken on Thursday and the Hurricanes on Saturday. New York will round out the week with a road game in Ottawa on Sunday.

Nelson has been the Islanders’ most successful forward during the squad’s eight-game slump, providing four goals and eight points over that span. Lee and Palmieri have also held their own with six and five points, respectively -- each of them also supplied three markers during that stretch.

Still, the absence of Mathew Barzal (upper body) continues to be noticeable. He hasn’t played since Oct. 30 and isn’t expected to return this week. The other issue is Bo Horvat’s goal-scoring drought has reached 11 games (he has five assists in that span). Maybe Horvat will get better when his usual linemate, Barzal, is healthy. Either way, Horvat’s shooting percentage has dropped to 7.1, well below his career average of 13.4.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Mon vs CHI, Wed vs NAS, Fri vs WAS, Sat @ PIT)

Toronto got some good news Saturday with the return of Auston Matthews (upper body) and Matthew Knies (upper body). Both made their presence felt with Matthews supplying two assists while Knies recorded a goal and a helper. Getting Matthews back is especially big for the Maple Leafs, and the sniper will aim to make his presence felt next week with the Maple Leafs scheduled to play at home against Chicago on Monday, Nashville on Wednesday and Washington on Friday. The Maple Leafs will also face the Penguins on the road Saturday.

Getting Knies and Matthews back will likely result in a reduced role for rookie Fraser Minten. The 20-year-old averaged 15:11 of ice time, including 3:32 with the man advantage, over his first three outings from Nov. 20-27, but he dropped to 11:31 on Saturday and wasn’t deployed at all with the man advantage (though Toronto had just one power play in the match).

If Max Domi (lower body) and Bobby McMann (lower body) rejoin the lineup without any other Maple Leafs forwards going down, then Minten might find himself reassigned to the AHL where he can play a bigger role. Still, Minten has shown promise during this NHL stint, supplying a goal and three points across four appearances.

While Minten took advantage of the Maple Leafs’ stretch of injuries, Nicholas Robertson has left plenty to be desired. He did score Saturday, but it was just his second goal and point through 20 outings in 2024-25. Although Robertson reportedly requested a trade over the summer, nothing came of that, and he certainly hasn’t done anything to make himself more appealing to other clubs. He’s still just 23, so it’s too early to write him off, but even as a middle-six secondary scorer, he hasn’t looked great this year. If the Maple Leafs find themselves fully healthy, it’s not clear if there will even be a regular spot for him in the lineup anymore.

Winnipeg Jets (Tue vs STL, Thu @ BUF, Sat @ CHI, Sum vs CBJ)

Winnipeg enjoyed a stunning 15-1-0 start, but the Jets have perhaps shown some cracks lately, dropping five of their past eight games. We’ll see if they stabilize next week. They’ll play at home against the Blues on Tuesday, play in Buffalo on Thursday, and in Chicago on Saturday before hosting the Blue Jackets on Sunday.

What’s changed for the Jets recently? For starters, their stars haven’t been quite as effective. Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers each provided at least 1.25 points per game across Winnipeg’s opening 16 games and none of them have averaged a point per game since. Nikolaj Ehlers has seen the biggest decline, going from nine goals and 20 points through 16 appearances to five assists and a minus-7 rating over his past eight games.

It's not just the Jets’ top three forwards, though. Winnipeg’s offensive production has been down pretty much across the board. The Jets were averaging an unbelievable 4.56 goals per game through their first 16 games, but Winnipeg’s average has dropped to 2.50 over its past eight contests. We talked about the Jets’ success earlier this month, and at the time I briefly touched on this:

“It is worth noting that Moneypuck ranks Winnipeg 21st in xG/60 with 2.99, so there’s an argument to be made that the Jets have enjoyed good puck luck.”

If we look at where Winnipeg is today, its xG/60 is slightly higher at 3.08. That metric shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but it does suggest that the Jets were significantly overperforming offensively early in the campaign, which makes the fall less shocking. By the same token, Winnipeg is now underperforming, so there’s reason to believe that this will all balance out eventually, and the Jets will finish the campaign as an above average, but not phenomenal scoring team.

Which is okay because Winnipeg’s strength lies in its goaltending more than its forwards. Connor Hellebuyck did have a rough patch from Nov. 12-19 in which he allowed 11 goals on 90 shots (.878 save percentage), but he’s having a fantastic campaign overall with a 15-3-0 record, 2.11 GAA and .928 save percentage in 18 outings. The Jets offense might not be as good as initially advertised, but Hellebuyck should continue to have a season worthy of Vezina Trophy contention.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (November 4th to November 11th – Oilers face challenges early, while Knights soar out the gate

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 16:35:39 +0000

Edmonton Oilers Center Leon Draisaitl (29) (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

At the end of October last year, Edmonton was in a sorry state with a 2-5-1 record, and the squad posted a 2-8-1 record by the 11-game mark. Of course, we know about the turnaround the Oilers managed, but in that context, Edmonton’s 5-5-1start this year doesn’t seem so bad. It’s not good either, though, and there are some areas that need to be improved upon if Edmonton is to live up to its lofty expectations.

Surprisingly, Edmonton hasn’t managed to reliably score this campaign. The Oilers managed two or fewer goals in each of their six losses (including the overtime defeat), and they never scored more than four goals in any of their first 10 games. That issue was compounded Monday when they lost Connor McDavid for the next 2-3 weeks due to an ankle injury. To their credit, Edmonton responded with a clean 5-1 win over Nashville on Thursday, but we’ll have to see if the Oilers can build off that strong win.

Calvin Pickard was in net for that victory, improving to 3-1-0 with a 2.47 GAA and an .897 save percentage across nine outings. It was his second start in three games and that increase in playing time is understandable when contrasted against Stuart Skinner’s rough 3.51 GAA and .872 save percentage across seven outings. Skinner had a rough start to 2023-24 only to rebound, so don’t count him out yet, but his shaky play has been the other big reason behind Edmonton’s mediocre start. If he doesn’t start improving, it would put Edmonton in a very vulnerable spot -- Pickard has outperformed him thus far, but the 32-year-old isn’t expected to be a good long-term starter option, especially for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Edmonton isn’t the only team portrayed as being a Cup contender who has underwhelmed early, but one major contender who has largely shone in the early going is Vegas with its 7-3-1 start. Not everything is rosy for the Golden Knights -- Adin Hill’s 3.20 GAA and .878 save percentage through six appearances don’t look much more appealing than Skinner’s results -- but those issues have been masked by Vegas’ offense, led by its top line.

At the time of writing, Mark Stone is tied for the lead league in points with 19 (five goals) through 11 games while Jack Eichel isn’t far behind with three goals and 16 points in 11 outings. Those two are fairing better than expected, but the thing that’s really held Vegas back in recent years -- at least as far as the regular season goes -- is injuries to key players in general, and those two in particular. If those two can stay healthy this time, it’ll be interesting to see if the duo continues to make their presence known among the league’s scoring leaders.

Speaking of, you’d have to go back to when the two were still rookies to find the last time Eichel ended a season with more points than McDavid. Excluding their first campaigns, McDavid’s single-season low of 97 points is better than Eichel’s career high of 82. It’s way too early to suggest that Eichel will finish above McDavid in the scoring race, but we’ll see what the future holds.

Calgary Flames (Tue @ MTL, Thu @ BOS, Sat @ BUF)

The Flames won their first four games of the campaign, but that hot start has been erased, to the point where they’re 5-4-1 at the time of writing. They’ll be on the road next week, but the silver lining is they’ll be facing middling squads in Montreal on Tuesday and Buffalo on Saturday. Their contest in Boston on Thursday also might not be as difficult as it would appear at first glance. The Bruins are among the teams who underperformed in October, finishing the month with a 4-6-1 record.

Speaking of disappointment, the change of scenery hasn’t helped Anthony Mantha much. It looked like he might play a big role with the Flames, especially after head coach Ryan Huska suggested in September that Mantha’s goal for the 2024-25 should be to fire 300 shots. If we’re talking about shots on goal, then that would shatter his previous career high of 198 set in 2018-19 -- even if it were just shot attempts, then 300 would be his most since 2018-19 and a massive jump from his 219 last year. Instead, Mantha has just nine SOG through 10 games, and while three of those have gone in, it's still leagues less aggressive than the stated goal. Mantha also already moved around the lineup a fair amount, making it hard to pin down what his role with the team is. At best, it seems he’s a middle-six forward and is currently on course to put up something similar to the 23 goals and 44 points he recorded between Washington and Vegas last year -- not bad, but not what the preseason talk suggested might be possible.

One player he has seen a decent amount of ice time with is Jonathan Huberdeau, who looks good so far with four goals and seven points across 10 appearances, but those numbers don’t hold up to even the lightest of scrutiny. He had a good start with three goals and six points through four outings, largely thanks to a four-point game Oct. 12, but Huberdeau has been limited to just one point (a goal) across his past six appearances. Unfortunately, this might not be the bounce-back campaign despite that one big game.

On a more positive note, this might be a good sophomore season for Connor Zary. He has two goals and seven points through 10 appearances and his production has been far more evenly spread out than Huberdeau’s. The 23-year-old Zary is among the Flames more promising young forwards and seeing him start to come into his own gives Calgary some cause for cautious optimism.

Carolina Hurricanes (Tue vs. PHI, Thu vs. PIT, Sat @ COL)

The Hurricanes will open the week by hosting the Flyers on Tuesday and the Penguins on Thursday before heading to Colorado for a match Saturday. None of those adversaries have a winning record at the time of writing, though the Avalanche do still have the potential to be a great team this year.

Injuries are a big part of the reason Colorado has that subpar record. Carolina has had far better luck in that regard, though the Hurricanes aren’t completely immune. Frederik Andersen sustained a lower-body injury, and while it initially sounded like it might not be serious, he’s now regarded as week-to-week. The 35-year-old has an incredible 16-3-0 record, 1.77 GAA and .933 save percentage across the past two seasons, but sadly he can’t seem to stay healthy.

With Andersen once again out, Pyotr Kochetkov will be leaned on heavily. He has a poor .891 save percentage in 2024-25, but the Hurricanes are a top-tier team when it comes to supporting their goaltenders -- despite that save percentage, he has a solid 2.61 GAA and a great 4-1-0 record. Spencer Martin was summoned from AHL Chicago to be the understudy, but he hasn’t gotten into a game yet and probably won’t next week given the Hurricanes’ spread-out schedule.

Carolina is also still missing Riley Stillman, who opened the season on the non-roster injured list. Stillman has started to practice, though, so he might not be too far off from returning. The question is if his availability will shake up Carolina’s current top six. Perhaps Sean Walker or Jalen Chatfield will spend the occasional game in the press box, but it’s entirely feasible that Stillman will simply be the seventh defenseman once healthy, only being inserted into the lineup in the event of an injury or blueliner needing a day off.

Brent Burns probably won’t be someone who gets much in the way of rest days, but age might be catching up to the 39-year-old. He has just three assists through nine appearances this season, albeit with those points coming during a recent three-game scoring streak from Oct. 24-28. Most notably, he doesn’t have any points yet with the man advantage. I was concerned that the presence of Shayne Gostisbehere would lead to Burns getting a reduced role on the power play, and it seems that has proven to be the case. Gostisbehere has roughly double the amount of power-play minutes so far while recording three goals and five points with the man advantage -- nine points overall through nine outings.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Tue @ SJS, Sat @ LAK, Sun vs. ANA)

The Blue Jackets have done better than expected so far, posting a 5-3-1 record in October. They’ll try to keep that going next week with road games against the Sharks on Tuesday, the Kings on Saturday and the Ducks on Sunday.

Kirill Marchenko has played a significant part in the Blue Jackets’ early success, supplying four goals and 11 points through nine appearances. He’s developed chemistry with summer addition Sean Monahan, who has five goals and nine points through nine outings.

Cole Sillinger has also really stood up lately. Taken with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Sillinger was fairly quiet offensively over his first three campaigns, but this has the makings to be a breakout campaign after he recorded two goals and eight points across his opening nine games. He’s been particularly effective recently, providing a goal and four points over his past two outings, so we’ll see if he can build off that momentum next week.

However, if you’re looking for the hottest member of the Blue Jackets, that would have to be Elvis Merzlikins. He was stunning against Edmonton and the Islanders on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, stopping a combined 57 of 58 shots over that stretch. He largely served as Daniil Tarasov’s understudy to start the campaign, but Tarasov has a 3.42 GAA and an .886 save percentage through five outings, so there’s an opportunity here for Merzlikins to wrestle back the starting job if he continues to perform well.

Los Angeles Kings (Mon @ NAS, Tue @ MIN, Thu vs. VAN, Sat vs. CBJ)

The Kings have a busy week ahead of them. They’ll start with road matches in Nashville on Monday and Minnesota on Tuesday before returning home to host the Canucks on Thursday and the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Los Angeles has a 6-3-2 record, and Kevin Fiala has been part of that initial success. It hasn’t been all good news for him -- he logged just 10:12 on Oct. 26 because he took some bad penalties and was a healthy scratch Wednesday after missing a team meeting -- but Fiala is nevertheless off to a strong start with five goals and eight points in 10 appearances, including a two-point showing in his return from the press box. If he can avoid getting into too much trouble with coach Jim Hiller, Fiala is a serious contender to reach the 70-point mark for the fourth consecutive campaign.

Hiller has every reason to like Brandt Clarke’s recent play. The 21-year-old defenseman has an incredible seven points (one goal) across his past four outings. It helps that Clarke is a part of the Kings’ top power-play unit -- five of his 11 points through 11 appearances in 2024-25 have come with the man advantage. Clarke might still lose that power-play spot when Drew Doughty is ready to return from his ankle injury, but Doughty isn’t expected to be back anytime soon -- he was declared month-to-month when he underwent surgery in early October -- so that’s not something that needs to be thought about too hard right now.

It is impressive that the Kings have done so well without Doughty. Having a young blueliner like Clarke capable of stepping up helps, but having a steady captain like Anze Kopitar is another key component. The 37-year-old hasn’t slowed with age, collecting four goals and 12 points through 11 games this year. He led the Kings to victory over the Golden Knights with a three-point showing Wednesday that included Kopitar’s 800th career assist. He’s just the 35th player to ever hit that milestone, and with the way he’s performing, perhaps he’ll even hit 900 before it’s time to hang up his skates -- just 20 players have ever done that. Kopitar is in the first season of a two-year, $14 million contract, though he’d probably need to play through the 2026-27 campaign to hit that next milestone.

Minnesota Wild (Tue vs. LAK, Thu @ SJS, Fri @ ANA, Sun @ CHI)

As noted above, Minnesota is set to host the Kings on Tuesday. Afterward, the Wild will begin a road trip with stops in San Jose on Thursday, Anaheim on Friday and Chicago on Sunday.

Despite playing seven of their first nine games on the road, the Wild are off to an incredible 6-1-2 start. Filip Gustavsson has been a big part of that initial success, posting a 4-1-1 record, 2.17 GAA and .922 save percentage across six starts. That’s a big turnaround from his 2023-24 campaign (3.06 GAA, .899 save percentage) and puts him more in line with how he did in 2022-23 (2.10 GAA, .931 save percentage).

Kirill Kaprizov is the other major reason for Minnesota’s strong start. He has five goals and 18 points through nine games and is showing no signs of slowing down. He ended October on a six-game multi-point streak in which he has provided four goals and 14 points. No other Wild player comes close to matching Kaprizov’s recent offensive output, though defenseman Jacob Middleton is on a four-game scoring streak that’s seen him provide a goal and five assists.

To make matters better for the Wild, Jared Spurgeon was able to return Tuesday after missing six straight games due to a lower-body injury. His return will likely lead to Declan Chisholm and Jon Merrill spending the occasional game in the press box.

One thing Spurgeon probably won’t do a lot of is contribute offensively. He has reached the 40-point mark as recently as 2021-22, but the 34-year-old is going to be serving on the second power-play unit as best thanks to the rise of sophomore Brock Faber. Instead, Spurgeon’s best category might end up being blocks. He ranked sixth with 179 blocks in 2022-23, which was the last season he was mostly healthy.

Nashville Predators (Mon vs. LAK, Wed @ WSH, Thu @ FLA, Sat vs. UTA)

After starting the campaign 0-5-0, Nashville has started to recover but remains a poor 3-6-1. The Predators will attempt to make up for lost ground next week, starting with Monday’s home game against the Kings. Nashville will spend the remainder of the week on the road, facing Washington on Wednesday, Florida on Thursday and Utah on Saturday.

The Predators are still waiting for Steven Stamkos to start playing like the star he was in Tampa Bay. Stamkos did get two assists against his former team in Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss, but that’s about all the life he’s shown. The 34-year-old has a goal and three points through 10 appearances. He also has a minus-8 rating, which is tied for the fourth worst on the team. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that he’s been taking a ton of shots -- 32 so far -- so it should be just a matter of time before they start going in.

Nashville’s other major summer addition, Jonathan Marchessault, is also struggling to find the back of the net. Not many people expected Marchessault to repeat his 42-goal showing from 2023-24, especially because his 15.8 shooting percentage was a career high outside of 2014-15 in which he logged just two games. Still, if Marchessault was a bit on the lucky side last year, he’s gotten terrible luck in 2024-25, providing just two goals on 35 shots so far. He does at least have four assists to go with it, so his struggles haven’t been as notable as Stamkos’, but there’s still a lot of room for growth here.

Stamkos and Marchessault might have struggled for long enough now that they’d be solid buy-low candidates in fantasy. Perhaps you could put Juuse Saros in that group too. He’s also off to a rough start with a 2-5-1 record, 3.04 GAA and .896 save percentage across eight appearances. He did underwhelm somewhat in 2023-24 as well, finishing with a 2.86 GAA and a .906 save percentage, but at the very least, if you believe that Stamkos and Marchessault have underperformed, which seems reasonable, then there’s reason to believe that Saros should be a better source of wins as the campaign progresses.

New Jersey Devils (Mon @ EDM, Thu vs. MTL, Sat @ NYI, Sun vs. SJS)

The Devils played more games than any other team, 13, in October and their schedule will stay full next week. They’ll play in Edmonton on Monday, host the Canadiens on Thursday, face the Islanders in a road game Saturday and then end the week at home against the Sharks on Sunday.

Luke Hughes missed the first nine games of the season due to a shoulder injury, but the 21-year-old blueliner returned Oct. 24. He didn’t, however, get his 2023-24 assignment back. He’s averaged 18:06 of ice time, including a modest 0:55 with the man advantage, though four appearances. Hughes served primarily on the top power-play unit last season, but that was with Dougie Hamilton unavailable. Now that both defensemen are healthy, it seems Hamilton will serve on the first unit while Hughes will play on the second. That’s a major blow to Hughes’ fantasy value -- 25 of his 47 points last season came with the man advantage.

Even if Hughes was on the top power-play and gelling, though, he wouldn’t be the headline act in New Jersey right now. That’s unquestionably Nico Hischier, who has provided an unreal nine goals and 13 points across his past nine games, bringing him up to 15 points (10 goals) through 13 outings in 2024-25. Hischier finished October on a four-game goal-scoring streak. His current goal pace won’t last obviously -- his 22.7 shooting percentage for 2024-25 would shatter his career high if it lasted the full campaign -- but he is a high-end talent who could reasonably surpass the 30-goal and 80-point milestones this season.

The Devils have kept Hischier and Jack Hughes primarily on separate lines at even strength to give the team a strong one-two punch. Hughes is rolling too with three goals and seven points across his past five outings, giving him four goals and 12 points in 13 appearances this year. The Devils are even getting decent production out of their third line with Erik Haula supplying four goals and eight points through 13 outings.

New Jersey was 7-4-2 in October. The Devils do have some areas of concern -- Jacob Markstrom has been a step up from their goaltenders last year, but he’s also had some notably rough nights, which has left him with a mild .903 save percentage in 2024-25 -- but they do look like a team that should stay strong this year.

Vancouver Canucks (Tue @ ANA, Thu @ LAK, Sat vs. EDM)

The Canucks can attest to the Devils’ strength after suffering a 6-0 loss to New Jersey on Wednesday. Vancouver dropped to 4-2-3 with that defeat but will be looking for better results during the upcoming week. The Canucks will play in Anaheim on Tuesday and LA on Thursday before hosting the Oilers on Saturday.

Vancouver could really use Thatcher Demko (knee). Kevin Lankinen has done well overall with a 2.29 GAA and a .920 save percentage in six starts, but he’s faltered recently, allowing 10 goals on 90 shots (.889 save percentage) across his past three outings. Meanwhile, Arturs Silovs has struggled with a record of 0-2-1 to go with an abysmal 5.00 GAA and .797 save percentage through three contests.

Demko has been skating and we have seen him on his own in full gear, but there’s nothing to indicate yet that he’s close to returning, so it seems Vancouver will have to rely on Lankinen and Silovs for a while longer.

If they get sufficient goal support, it might be fine. To that end, it would go a long way if Elias Pettersson could get into a rhythm. He had just one goal and four points through nine appearances in October. Some of you might be thinking back to 2021-22 when Pettersson started the campaign with six goals and 17 points in his first 37 games before turning a corner by providing 26 goals and 51 points in 43 outings the rest of the way. That example does show that Pettersson is both capable of prolonged cold stretches and recovering from them, though Vancouver will surely be hoping that it doesn’t take him nearly as long to get going in 2024-25.

It'd help if newcomer Jake DeBrusk got going too. He has just four assists in nine appearances with Vancouver after signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with Vancouver over the summer. The Canucks were believed to be interested in inking Jake Guentzel before he signed with Tampa Bay. DeBrusk was at least a cheaper alternative, but Vancouver probably wishes they hadn’t missed out on the pricier option -- Guentzel has four goals and 11 points through 10 outings in 2024-25.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Young Players Getting Exciting Opportunities

Scott Cullen — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 18:42:36 +0000

_{PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 28:Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (20) skates with the puck during the second period in the NHL preseason game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on September 28, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)}

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. With so few games played, this week will look at some players getting exciting opportunities to start the year, including Dylan Guenther, Alex Laferriere, Matvei Michkov, and more!

Here is this season’s first edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was helped off the ice after suffering an apparent injury in Ottawa on Thursday night. If Barkov misses any time, Anton Lundell could be an intriguing addition for fantasy managers. Lundell is in his fourth NHL season and while he has not yet matched the 44 points that he had as a rookie, he did have 17 points in 24 playoff games last season. Lundell has one assist and nine shots on goal through the Panthers’ first two games.

#2 It has been a whirlwind year for Utah Hockey Club right winger Dylan Guenther, who finished last season with a flourish, putting up 23 points (12 G, 11 A) in his last 23 games. That earned him a contract extension in the summer. The 8-year, $57.14 million contract seemed like a lot given his lack of NHL experience, but it might already be a bargain. Teammates gush about Guenther’s shot and he has started this season with four goals in his first two games. As great as Guenther’s shot is, he is not going to keep scoring on 50 percent of his shots on goal, but there are early indications that Guenther and centre Logan Cooley are poised to have breakthrough seasons for Utah, with both skating on the second line and getting top unit power play time.

#3 Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov is the betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy, and it’s not merely based on his track record in Russia, which is admittedly excellent. Michkov had 41 points in 48 KHL games last season and the 19-year-old is starting his NHL career on Philadelphia’s top line and first power play unit. The Flyers are opening the season with Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale getting first crack at quarterbacking the Flyers’ power play. Drysdale is a smooth skater who has tallied 15 of his 50 career points on the power play.

#4 Former Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier was traded to Anaheim last season and the Ducks are putting Gauthier in position to succeed, giving him time on the first line (with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn) and top power play right out of the gate. Gauthier had 65 points (38 G, 27 A) in 41 games as a sophomore at Boston College last season and he has impressive international credentials too, scoring nine points (7 G, 2 A) in 10 games at the 2023 World Championships and 12 points (2 G, 10 A) in seven games at the 2024 World Juniors.

#5 Second-year Los Angeles Kings left winger Alex Laferriere is starting the season on the Kings’ No. 1 line and top power play unit. Laferriere had 23 points (12 G, 11 A) as a rookie. He produced 73 points (35 G, 38 A) in 69 games in two seasons at Harvard, so there could be some offensive upside there, but with limited pedigree, he may be in a precarious position if he hits a slump.

#6 Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is out month-to-month after breaking his ankle in the preseason, so the expectation was that Brandt Clarke would move up to play on the Kings’ top power play unit. In Los Angeles’ first game, however, Jordan Spence played 4:26 on the power play for the Kings, compared to Brandt’s 3:34, so that is a situation worth keeping an eye on to see how it shakes out.

#7 With winger J.J. Peterka getting hurt in Prague, the Sabres have inserted top prospect Jiri Kulich into the lineup, taking Peterka’s place on Buffalo’s top line. Kulich was a first-round pick in 2022, and the 20-year-old winger has already played two seasons in the AHL, putting up 91 points (51 G, 40 A) in 119 games for Rochester.

#8 Montreal Canadiens rookie defenceman Lane Hutson is not quarterbacking Montreal’s top power play, but it may only be a matter of time. Hutson had a pair of assists against Boston on Thursday, giving him four assists in his first four NHL games, going back to last season. He produced 97 points (30 G, 67 A) in 77 games across two seasons at Boston University.

#9 A late summer free agent signing, Jack Roslovic is getting a chance to play on Carolina’s top line, with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. Roslovic set career highs of 22 goals and 45 points in 2021-2022, but if he is playing on Carolina’s top line, he could challenge those numbers.

#10 The Calgary Flames are entering a rebuilding process and part of that is giving young players significant opportunities. Samuel Honzek, a 2023 first-round pick has not only made the team, but he is getting a look on Calgary’s top line, alongside Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko. Honzek, a 6-foot-4 winger, does not have a power play role yet, so his fantasy appeal is limited, but is very interesting as a long-term prospect. Connor Zary, a 2022 first-round pick, is taking on a bigger role in his second NHL season. Zary had 34 points (14 G, 20 A) in 63 games as a rookie last season and is getting first unit power play time to start this season. He scored a beauty in overtime to help the Flames to a win in Calgary on opening night and that should only fuel his confidence.

#11 There are times that it seems like there is a revolving door on Sidney Crosby’s wings in Pittsburgh, so don’t necessarily dive head-first into supporting these players, but Anthony Beauvillier and Drew O’Connor are skating on Sidney Crosby’s wings, at least while Bryan Rust remains out of the Penguins lineup. Beauvillier is coming off a down season, in which he scored just 17 points (5 G, 12 A) in 60 games, but he did net a pair of goals in Thursday’s win at Detroit. O’Connor had 33 points (16 G, 17 A) in 79 games last season and added a goal against Detroit.

#12 Opportunity is knocking in St. Louis for Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours, who are skating on a line with Robert Thomas, the Blues’ brilliant playmaking center. Holloway, who was signed to an offer sheet to lure him away from Edmonton in the summer, has one assist while averaging 15:02 ice time per game in his first two games with St. Louis. He averaged 10:21 of ice time per game in 89 games with the Oilers over the past two seasons. Neighbours broke through with a 27-goal season, including eight on the power play in 2023-2024 and should continue to play an even more prominent role in the Blues’ attack.

#13 Still eligible for the Calder Trophy after scoring 14 points (8 G, 6 A) in 24 games for the Dallas Stars last season, Logan Stankoven is starting the 2024-2025 season on Dallas’ top line, skating on the right side with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Stankoven only played 12:29 in a season-opening win at Nashville on Thursday, but he also put up three assists, so that should keep him in a prime position.

#14 The New York Islanders signed Russian winger Maxim Tsyplakov as a free agent after he had 47 points (31 G, 16 A) in 65 games for Moscow Spartak in the KHL last season. The 26-year-old forward scored in his NHL debut against Utah on Thursday, and played an eye-popping 20:46, including 7:38 on the power play. Getting first unit power play time with the Islanders is a great opportunity for Tsyplakov to build on last season’s career-best results in the KHL.

#15 After scoring 40 points (21 G, 19 A) in 82 games as a rookie last season, Marco Rossi is centering Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on Minnesota’s top line to start the 2024-2025 season. He is not getting first unit power play time – that goes to Kaprizov, Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, and Brock Faber – but if Rossi can stick alongside Kaprizov long-term, that will raise his offensive ceiling.

#16 Oft-injured Ottawa Senators centre Josh Norris is healthy to start the season and getting a prime opportunity to skate on the Sens’ to power play, ahead of veteran Claude Giroux. Norris had 55 points (35 G, 20 A) in 66 games in 2021-2022, but has managed 33 points (18 G, 15 A) in 55 games across the past two seasons since then while dealing with persistent shoulder problems. Norris played more than 18 minutes in Ottawa’s season-opening win against Florida, recording an assist while skating on a line with Ridly Greig and Drake Batherson. If he’s healthy, Norris could offer quality fantasy value.

#17 With Florida Panthers defenceman Adam Boqvist out of the lineup after taking a puck in the face during the Panthers’ opening game, Aaron Ekblad is listed on Florida’s top power play unit, though Uvis Balinskis saw more power play time in Thursday’s loss at Ottawa. Ekblad is likely to play a big role on the Panthers’ blueline and has frequently been a contributor on the power play, with 111 of his 348 career points coming via the man advantage. Last season, he had just four power play points while delivering 18 points (4 G, 14 A) in 51 games, but with Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson departing via free agency, there are minutes to be earned on the Panthers power play. A healthy Boqvist might have the inside track, but Ekblad’s experience should not be overlooked.

#18 The Nashville Predators were movers and shakers in free agency and the arrival of 40-goal scorers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault bumped Gustav Nyquist off Nashville’s top power play unit. Nyquist recorded a career-high 75 points last season, including 24 points on the power play, but he is not the same kind of proven scoring option, so that leaves Nyquist on the second power play unit in Nashville.

#19 Stamkos’ old team, the Tampa Bay Lightning are sorting out their own power play set up in his absence. To start the season, the Lightning are running two defencemen – Victor Hedman and Darren Raddysh – on their top power play unit, which is very unusual these days. Hedman has been a power play threat throughout his career, including last season when 31 of his 76 points were accrued with the man advantage. Raddysh, the 28-year-old blueliner, is something of a late bloomer, but he did have 33 points, including 11 on the power play, last season, which was his first full NHL campaign. It will be interesting to see how the Lightning play this going forward, whether they stick with the two defencemen or whether someone like Brandon Hagel or Nick Paul finds a spot on the top power play unit.

#20 After going through some tough seasons, including spending time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Jakub Vrana has returned to Washington, where his NHL career began, and earned a contract with the Capitals. Vrana, 28, has been an outstanding five-on-five scorer. Sincer 2018-2019, Vrana has scored 1.41 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. Among players that have played more than 50 games, there are only two – Auston Matthews (1.66) and David Pastrnak (1.41) – who rank higher than Vrana in that metric, and Pastrnak and Vrana are virtually tied. This doesn’t mean that Vrana is automatically going to provide fantasy value, as he has rarely been a power play performer, but for a player who was on the verge of washing out of the league, he is getting a fresh start and has the track record to suggest that he could be a productive secondary scorer for the Capitals.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Team Preview

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:00:44 +0000

_{ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 28: Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) as seen during an NHL game between the Calgary Flames and the St. Louis Blues, on March 28, 2024, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)}

After failing to make the playoffs in 2022-23, the Flames changed coaches, but it didn’t reverse their fortunes. Calgary had a 38-39-5 record last season, and ultimately resigned to its fate by trading away veteran defencemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov as well as two-way center Elias Lindholm, primarily in exchange for a collection of picks, though the Flames did also pick up Andrei Kuzmenko in the Lindholm deal, which worked out nicely for Calgary with 14 goals and 25 points across 29 contests post-trade. The Flames also got a great campaign out of Nazem Kadri (29 goals, 75 points) while Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman each hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in their careers, but Calgary’s offence was still mediocre due in no small part to lackluster production out of Jonathan Huberdeau (12 goals, 52 points), and those scoring woes were compounded by a leaky season from goaltender Jacob Markstrom (2.78 GAA, .905 save percentage).

WHAT’S CHANGED? Calgary continued to shed veterans during the summer, trading Markstrom to New Jersey in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick and 24-year-old defenceman Kevin Bahl, who might get a top-four role after Calgary dealt so many veteran blueliners during the 2023-24 campaign. The Flames also inked blueliner Jake Bean to a two-year contract after Columbus declined to present him with a qualifying offer and signed Anthony Mantha to a one-year deal to bolster the team’s secondary scoring.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? It would be shocking if the Flames make the playoffs, but stranger things have happened. Perhaps Dustin Wolf, who has struggled early in his NHL career but has looked great in the minors, might fill the void left by Markstrom. Maybe Kuzmenko’s first full campaign with the Flames will be a major success after he seemed to gel with the squad last year. Theoretically, Huberdeau might recapture some of his lost luster.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Those are big asks, though, and even if all that happened, it’s not clear that Calgary has the depth necessary to go far. Keep in mind, Coleman and Sharangovich had basically ideal campaigns last season, so some regression should be expected there, and there’s no guarantee that Kadri, who will turn 34 on Oct. 6, will put forth another 75-point campaign. Wolf is the real x-factor, but even if he performs admirably, will he be able to overcome the Flames’ defence after they traded away their top blueliners?

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Calgary’s in that awkward phase where it’s not a contending team, but its roster is still comprised almost exclusively of veterans. Wolf is the most notable exception to that, and while he does have his work cut out for him, it should be interesting to see how he does. As touched on earlier, Wolf has excelled in the AHL. This will be a difficult campaign for him, but in the long run, the No. 214 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft might go down as a huge steal.

FORWARD

Nazem Kadri

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	26	42	68	0.83

A mid-season Elias Lindholm trade made Kadri “the guy” in Calgary, a position he hasn’t been in since pre-Auston Matthews years in Toronto. He was up to the task, as he had one of his best seasons from a point-production standpoint and he did while mostly playing with rookies instead of on Calgary’s top line. Kadri is a player you can count on to drive play regardless of where he is in the lineup, so he’s a nice luxury for the Flames to have while they’re in a transition period. He’s maybe one of the most underrated players in the league at leading the transition game, as he is usually among the league leaders in producing scoring chancers off zone entries. Finishing those chances is another story, because he takes a lot of shots from everywhere, but it has started to come around the last few seasons where he’s been above the 20-goal mark. His boxcar totals got a nice boost on the power play, where he was very good at getting tips from the slot and manipulating the penalty kill from the bumper position. The Flames don’t have a lot of insulation for him offensively this year, so he’s going to have to carry a heavy burden for the team offensively again. A slight step back might be expected as the team retools but a 25-goal, 40-point season should well be in reach.

Blake Coleman

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	24	20	44	0.54

Coleman had one of the more unnoticed 30-goal seasons in recent memory. His stats were a little inflated with six empty net goals, but it was still an impressive feat for someone who is primarily a checking line player. There was always more skill to Coleman’s game than that, as he has netted 20 before and he’s very quick to strike off the rush given the opportunity. That’s how he scored a majority of his goals last year, with a few of them coming shorthanded. He’s had wonderful chemistry with Mikael Backlund and the intensity he plays with gave that line some extra juice. Any production Calgary got out of them was secondary because they rarely lost any of their shifts. Whether it was flipping possession or generating chances, Coleman was as good of a utility player that you could ask for. With three years left on his contract and a lot of miles on his tires, it will be interesting to see how long the rugged winger can maintain this level of play. His shooting percentage jumped to 15.7 from a career average of 10.4 percent and should see a regression in goals. He remains a key contributor here and can hit 20 goals and 20 assists, closer to his career norms.

Jonathan Huberdeau

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	12	36	48	0.60

Huberdeau will be the victim of lofty expectations for the rest of his career. He was never going to be the 100+ point player the Flames traded for two years ago and living up to his $10.5 million AAV cap hit was going to be almost impossible. The hope was that his elite-level playmaking could add a boost to a Calgary lineup that has no shortage of play-drivers and shooters. Instead, they’ve gotten a good playmaker who is an awkward fit on almost every line, failing to develop any sort of long-term chemistry with anyone. It takes a certain level of rapport to blend with a more cerebral player like Huberdeau because he will usually look for the extra pass that a linemate might not be ready for. He had that for a stretch with Coleman and Backlund but ended up back in the line blender mid-season. Huberedau’s one-dimensional game puts a lot of the scoring burden on his linemates and that is something that has gotten worse since he arrived in Calgary. The high-level playmaking has also seen a dip in recent years, as he is still setting up chances at a decent rate, but not at the elite level he did with Florida. With Calgary’s lineup receiving another shake-up, a lot needs to go right for Huberdeau to get back to his old form, although at 31 years old this might be who he is now. While he saw a dip in his shooting percentage, his shot rate is still far too low for that to be a factor and expecting more than 15 – 20 goals would be a reach and with the current supporting cast he seems plateaued at 40 assists.

Mikael Backlund

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	13	27	40	0.49

Signing a two-year extension before last season even began, Backlund had another year where he was steady as ever. Holding the second/third line center spot down for the Flames with big penalty kill minutes thrown in on top of that. He plays the type of game where you’re happy with what you get from him even if he only puts up 20 points because he does so much outside of the scoresheet. At 35, he is still Calgary’s top defensive forward, always in the right spot to kill a play or find a route out of the zone to flip possession. Both him and Coleman were two of Calgary’s top forwards at generating controlled zone entries last year, doing so while starting most of their shifts in their own zone. The only downside is that his own offensive production is on the downward trend, which isn’t a big deal with the role he plays, but somewhat of a drag because they generated so much rush offence and Coleman was the only player who could score. This is something Calgary has to keep in mind when planning for the future. They know what they’re getting with Backlund, now it’s about planning for life after him as he enters the backend of his career.

Andrei Kuzmenko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	30	29	59	0.74

A mid-season trade gave Kuzmenko a shot in the arm, scoring 14 goals in 25 games with the Flames after recording only seven with Vancouver. After being such a good goal-scorer in his first year, something didn’t click in his first season under Rick Tocchet, acting as more of a playmaker in between Pettersson and Mikheyev instead of a shooter. The switch to Calgary seemed to help, as he got back to what he does best, which was playing the net-front role and doing an excellent job of generating chances from close range. Showing great composure under pressure, he scored a lot of his goals from corralling loose pucks from awkward angles and getting deflections. His hands also make him a great playmaker from this area, and he can setup a lot of tap-in goals by making the extra pass from a typical shooting position. It was what Calgary needed in a lineup that has a lot of guys who can do the cycling and puck-handling along the perimeter. The honeymoon period couldn’t have worked out better for Calgary with Kuzmenko delivering 25 points in 29 games, so now it’s about getting the same level of play in a full season. He was helped by an inflated 24.1 shooting percentage while on the Flames but did see a similar spiked percentage as a rookie in Vancouver. He will be an intriguing trade deadline addition for a lot of teams around February with one year left on his deal. He has a prime offensive opportunity here, and a spot on the first power play is his to lose. 30 goals and 30 assists should be deliverable under these circumstances with potential for more.

Anthony Mantha

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	25	23	48	0.63

Solving the Anthony Mantha riddle has perplexed a few teams now. You see his big frame, strong play-driving numbers and how good his shot is at times and think there’s superstar potential, but he’s left teams frustrated more times than not. Last year in Washington might have been the first time a team was content with who he is, someone who uses his body to win puck battles and play a great possession game at five-on-five. Controlling the perimeter to eventually open up more offence for his linemates. He had consistent linemates for the first time during his stint with the Caps and scored 20 goals before getting dealt to Vegas at the deadline. Then the reset button happened. Mantha’s numbers at the end of the day were okay but they couldn’t find a spot for him and he was scratched after Game 3 in the first round. Now he’s onto Calgary where there’s a clear opportunity in their top six. Mantha still has a lot to offer even as someone who can play on the top-line, it’s just a matter of what teams expect out of him after years of similar results. Still only 29-years old, he should break 20 goals and 20 assists and is a UFA at the end of the season. Lots of motivation to put his career back on track.

Yegor Sharangovich

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	25	26	51	0.66

While not a breakout season for an established player, Sharangovich did enough for Calgary to make him part of their core going forward, earning a five-year extension after setting career highs in goals and points. His shot has always been a calling card, possessing a heavy wrister that makes him lethal when he gets the space. He was somewhat of a utility guy for the Flames last year, playing both forward positions and adding a game-breaking element to their aggressive penalty kill. He was among the league leaders in shorthanded points, only scoring three goals but always a threat to start a rush the other way. While the goals were nice, his all-around game was a mixed bag as Calgary was heavily outscored at five-on-five when his lines were on the ice, and it was a challenge to find the right spot for him in the lineup even if he was one of the team’s best shooters. He ended the season primarily playing as center with Jonathan Huberdeau, which was a line Calgary had to deploy almost exclusively in the offensive zone, so it’s unknown if it’s a long-term fit if Sharangovich’s shooting regresses. A return to 30 goals might be a challenge, but 25 to go along with 25 – 30 assists is a reasonable expectation.

Connor Zary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	17	24	41	0.53

The youngest of Calgary’s Wranglers core ended up being one of the rookies who stuck with the big club. Riding a hot streak after getting called up in November, Zary’s Swiss Army Knife skillset made it tough for him to come out of the lineup even after the goals dried up. His strong play even earned him some modest recognition in a stacked Calder race. He’s a smaller guy, but willing to go to the net and it was easy for him to get lost in coverage. Also, he is very good at taking hits from pinching defencemen to help get pucks out of the zone, which is something young wingers always struggle with. Playmaking is where he shined, but the details of his game were ahead of where most 21-year-old rookies are. Becoming a more consistent shooting threat is the next step to his game, as his skillset as a netfront guy became somewhat redundant after the Kuzmenko trade and he is someone who will only shoot if he’s inches away from the blue paint. He figures to be a key piece for Calgary in what will be a transition year. Keeping fantasy expectations modest in his sophomore season, 15-20 goals and 20 -25 assists would be a good step next season.

Martin Pospisil

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	9	17	26	0.37

Arguably the most surprising rookie to crack Calgary’s roster, Pospisil proved to be a good running mate for Nazem Kadri. He could keep up with the better players in Calgary’s lineup and his hard-nosed style of play was a perfect complement in their top six. He didn’t have much production to show for it, and never has at any level, but he did a lot to help his lines drive play and keep opposing teams hemmed in their own zone. Always willing to go to the net, he generates a lot of high-quality chances and could be known as one of the more annoying guys to play against once he gets more experience. His downside is that he takes a lot of penalties due to the style of game that he plays, always looking to finish his check, and it even earned him a suspension late in the season. His hands aren’t bad, but he’s never been the best finisher at any level and that’s always a drawback if you’re on a top line. Still, his skillset fits the ideal model of a checking line player. Keep fantasy expectations modest as a result.

DEFENCE

Rasmus Andersson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	7	27	34	0.41

Andersson is the lone remaining member of Calgary’s old defence corps and last year was even an adjustment period for him after he was split from long-time partner Noah Hanifin. There was a lot of give and take with his new partnership with Mackenzie Weegar as the duo were on the ice for a high number of Flames goals and opposing goals to boot. This has been the case for Andersson for the majority of his career. He’s a very good passer who is an excellent complement to the forwards with seeing plays develop down low and he’s very good at getting his shot through. His game in the defensive zone, however, has always been best when it’s kept simple. When the pace of the game picks up, he’s better when he can stay home to protect the front instead of chasing a forward or a loose puck down. It’s what’s made him an awkward fit on the power play despite his great playmaking skills. Also, why he usually excels with a puck-mover instead of someone who plays a steadier game. He has the stamina to play big minutes, but maybe not the all-around game to be a true top-pair guy. Still, he will be a key cog on a Calgary blue line that is going through a major overhaul. Without consistent top power play time it is hard to see him reaching the 50-point level again and looks settled at 5 – 10 goals and 25 – 30 assists.

Mackenzie Weegar

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	11	34	45	0.56

One of only four defencemen to hit 20 goals last season, Weegar’s probably never going to get the credit he deserves as one of the league’s workhorses. Not only logging major minutes, but heavy minutes where he carries a huge burden as the guy retrieving most of the loose pucks and leading breakouts on his pair. One of the guys who makes his teammates job easier by doing the legwork with getting the puck out of the zone and continuing to support the play up the ice. There is some risk-reward to his game with how often he has the puck and how aggressive he is with joining the cycle in the offensive zone. Last year wasn’t one of his best in terms of preventing goals, as his pairing with Andersson gave up almost as much as they created, but it’s also part of the territory when someone is relied on to do most of the work on breakouts. Will be relied on heavily in Calgary again as their lone “do-it-all” defenceman on the roster. The goal scoring burst after never having exceeded 10 in past seasons was helped by an inflated shooting percentage of 9.6 versus a career average of 5.7 percent and can expect some regression. He did see an increase in power play time in the second half so will get the opportunity to match last season’s totals. However, dialing expectations back to closer to 10 goals and 30 – 35 assists is a safer bet.

Jake Bean

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	5	15	20	0.26

Looking for a fresh start, the former first-round pick of Carolina has a decent chance to find some kind of niche with the Flames. He showed promise in his first year with the Jackets, but a shoulder injury derailed his second season, and his third year was an attempt to get back on track. Paired with Erik Gudbranson, Bean still showed some of that offensive upside he had in both juniors and the AHL, but he was down in the pecking order as far as power play time goes and had to work hard to create any chances. His skillset is a little deceiving because he’s a very good skater with great offensive instincts, but not the best puck-mover under pressure. Pairing him with a stay-at-home guy sometimes compounds that problem instead of helping it, as he can get to a lot of pucks but not make the first pass if he has to deal with constant forecheck pressure. It’s uncertain if Calgary has the horses to utilize Bean’s skillset the right way, but it’s a chance for him to regain his form.

Kevin Bahl

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	2	10	12	0.15

After their top two defencemen, Calgary’s defence corps is basically an open competition. Bahl might not earn a regular top four spot, but his size and physical play could give him an inside edge on a full-time role. That and he’s a better puck-mover than what meets the eye. He’s not going to be a one-man breakout, but he can get the puck out of traffic and to the next layer of the exit well enough to be reliable in a high-leverage spot if you have to play him there. He’s also very good at shutting plays off at the blue line, not always looking for hits or standing guys up, but using his long reach to take away lanes on zone entries. He’s what you would call a “stabilizing presence,” as not much happens either way when he is on the ice. Will play heavy penalty kill minutes at the very least.

GOAL

Dan Vladar

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
32	12	16	3	1	0.898	3.28

Dustin Wolf

It's a new season, and the Calgary Flames are entering their New Goalie Era. After relying on proven veterans for their last handful of goaltender signings and trades, the Flames have moved on from Jacob Markstrom (and Cam Talbot, and Mike Smith, and Jonas Hiller) and are ready to debut a tandem with fewer than 100 games of NHL experience between the pair. Dan Vladar will be forced to sink or swim, following a mediocre year with limited starts, and Dustin Wolf - who has been dominating the AHL to an almost comical degree - will finally get his chance to shine in the big leagues as his partner.

The pair make for an interesting strategy in Calgary, serving as almost complete polar opposites in everything from style to stature. Dan Vladar tops out at 6-foot-5 and a whopping 210 pounds, playing a game reliant on loose movement and fluid lateral control. Dustin Wolf, on the other hand, almost missed out on being drafted altogether due to his small size; the 23-year-old California native is barely 6 feet even and doesn't crack 170 on the scale. He makes up for his more diminutive stature with superior depth management and game tracking, though. While Vladar brings more experience at the NHL level, Wolf is the goaltender many have higher hopes for when all is said and done. Calgary has made it clear they aren't exactly pushing for a Cup Final berth with this tandem, though, at least not immediately. Even Vladar, who has seen NHL action in each of the last seven seasons, made a career high in starts two years ago with a 27-game appearance. It's hard to tell just how the starts will end up breaking down this year, as a result - and if either Vladar or Wolf start to struggle, the Flames may be forced to make some changes before the year is up.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Fantilli takes on more responsibility – Rasmussen stepping up – Zary providing scoring punch – plus much more ..

Scott Cullen — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 21:07:45 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 26: Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (11) waits for a face-off during the Columbus Blue Jackets versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 26, 2023, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Adam Fantilli takes on more responsibility in Columbus, Michael Rasmussen is stepping up in Detroit, Connor Zary is providing scoring punch for Calgary, and Edmonton has a goaltender offering fantasy value once again.

#1 It can be difficult to make the jump straight from college hockey to the NHL and it’s even more challenging when the player is asked to handle major responsibility at the NHL level. Columbus’ Adam Fantilli has recorded six points (4 G, 2 A) and 17 shots on goal in his past seven games and with Boone Jenner injured, Fantilli has now been thrust into the role of top line centre, skating with Johnny Gaudreau. Patrik Laine has also been recently injured and that has opened up a spot for Justin Danforth to play right wing on that line. Fantilli played a career high 19:29 in Thursday’s win at Toronto and he is looking at significant ice time for at least the next few months, as long as he can handle it.

#2 At the start of the season, Michael Rasmussen was languishing on the bottom half of the Red Wings depth chart, managing just five points (2 G, 3 A) in 19 games. December has brought more production from the 6-foot-6 centre, as Rasmussen has eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in seven games this month. With Dylan Larkin and J.T. Compher injured and David Perron appealing his six-game suspension, there is more ice time available in Detroit and Rasmussen is doing his part to earn it.

#3 Calgary Flames rookie winger Connor Zary has produced 15 points (6 G, 9 A) in 20 games since getting called up from the American Hockey League early in the season. His 0.75 points per game ranks second among rookies, behind some character named Bedard, and is skating on a line with Nazem Kadri and fellow rookie Martin Pospisil. There is a warning sign, however. Zary has failed to record a shot on goal in three of his past four games and has a total of 24 shots on goal in 20 games. That is not the ideal path to sustainable offensive production.

#4 Surrendering five goals on 22 shots in Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay put a damper on the recently improved play of Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. The Calder Trophy runner-up last season, Skinner started poorly this year and, with Jack Campbell demoted to the AHL, the Oilers were still pushing Skinner out there, hoping for better results. Before Thursday’s loss, they were getting those better results, as Skinner had seven straight wins with a .935 save percentage in his previous seven starts.

#5 Arizona Coyotes winger Matias Maccelli continues to produce. He had 49 points in 64 games last season and is up to 21 points (5 G, 16 A) in 28 games this season after scoring five points (2 G, 3 A) in his past six games. What is more compelling about Maccelli’s production is that he is shooting the puck a lot more. HE has 22 shots on goal in his past six contests, which is a substantial upgrade over his 36 shots on goal in 22 games before that.

#6 With Winnipeg Jets sniper Kyle Connor out 6-8 weeks after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Ryan Strome, the Jets will need Nikolaj Ehlers to handle more of the offensive load. He has tended to be underused in the past couple of seasons but does have 15 points (7 G, 8 A) and 38 shots on goal in his past 15 games. Now, the challenge will be maintaining that kind of production with Gabe Vilardi moving up to the top line to fill in for Connor.

#7 It is fair to say that Mason Marchment’s first season in Dallas did not go according to plan, as he finished with 31 points (12 G, 19 A) in 68 games. He scored on just 8.1 percent of his shots on goal, which contributed to his lower than anticipated output. This season, Marchment has scored on 16.1 percent of his shots on goal and has put up 12 points (6 G, 6 A) and 30 shots on goal in his past 12 games. It’s amazing what a difference it makes to score at nearly double the rate of shots on goal! Nevertheless, Marchment has found a good fit alongside veterans Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin in Big D.

#8 New York Islanders captain Anders Lee got off to an abysmal start this season, managing just two points (1 G, 1 A) through his first 15 games. For a player who lives at the top of the crease, that’s not making the most of his opportunities. Lee’s production is starting to improve, though, as he has eight points (6 G, 2 A) and 34 shots on goal in his past 13 games. Lee is back on the Islanders’ top line, with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, so that should provide more consistent scoring opportunities.

#9 Coming off a career high 27 points last season, Vancouver Canucks winger Sam Lafferty is getting a great opportunity to skate on Vancouver’s top line with Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. Lafferty has contributed five points (3 G, 2 A) in his past six games, and his situation makes him appealing in the short term but his track record and the possibility that he could easily get bumped down the depth chart does put a limit on his appeal in this scoring role.

#10 With Philipp Grubauer injured, Joey Daccord is looking at his best opportunity to establish himself in net for the Seattle Kraken. Daccord, 27, does have a .912 save percentage in his past eight appearances, so he could be an upgrade on the underachieving Grubauer. If Daccord falters, Chris Driedger might get some time, too. The 29-year-old missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL at the 2022 World Championships. Driedger was squeezed out of Seattle at the start of the season but had a .916 save percentage in 15 games for Coachella Valley in the AHL at the time of his recall.

#11 The Carolina Hurricanes are not scoring enough and one of the reasons is that Andrei Svechnikov had managed just one goal on 41 shots in 16 games. He is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, so Stefan Noesen has moved up the Carolina depth chart. Noesen has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past eight games and played a season-high 16:38 in Thursday’s win at Detroit.

#12 A top checking centre for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anthony Cirelli is at his best when he is contributing at both ends of the rink. He is having a good run recently with seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past 6 games. Cirelli is playing with Tanner Jeannot and Brandon Hagel, a trio that is giving the Lightning legitimate secondary scoring behind their powerful top line.

#13 Detroit’s injuries have provided not only an opportunity for the aforementioned Michael Rasmussen, but also for Joe Veleno, a 23-year-old centre who has mostly been a fourth liner to this point in his career. In his past four games, Veleno has contributed three points (1 G, 2 A) while playing more than 21 minutes in every contest. He is centering Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, while also getting first unit power play time. That may not last, especially once the Wings get healthy, but in the short term, Veleno suddenly finds himself offering potential value for fantasy managers.

#14 Boston Bruins centre Pavel Zacha is injured and that has opened the door for Morgan Geekie to take on a bigger role, skating on Boston’s top line with wingers Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak. Geekie had a career high 28 points (9 G, 19 A) in Seattle last season, so his offensive track record is limited, but he has played more than 17 minutes in back-to-back games contributed goal and an assist in those two contests.

#15 A big hit from Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon has landed Buffalo Sabres left winger Jeff Skinner on the injured list with an upper-body injury. That does create an opportunity for rookie Zach Benson who has shown flashes of skill on his way to a modest eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 20 games, but Benson is on a line with Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens, along with second unit power play time so, at the very least, it is worth monitoring his progress.

#16 Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot is out for at least four weeks with a leg injury, which comes on the heels of a broken hand that cost him time earlier in the season. He has appeared in just nine games as a result, and his current injury opens the door for Jake Sanderson to step up as Ottawa’s No. 1 defenceman. Sanderson opened the season with 12 points (4 G, 8 A) in 14 games but has managed just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 10 games since. However, with the chance to quarterback the Sens’ top power play, Sanderson becomes more valuable for fantasy managers.

#17 Among players that have played at least 50 minutes in December, the leaders in individual expected goals per 60 minutes: Kyle Connor (2.81), John Tavares (2.67), Zach Hyman (2.30), Anders Lee (2.09), Quinton Byfield (2.03), Dylan Larkin (2.02), Austin Matthews (2.01), Colton Sissons (2.01), and Carter Verhaeghe (2.00). While there are familiar and expected names in that list, it should be an encouraging sign for the likes of Lee and Byfield, that their production could be sustained, while Sissons could be worth watching in deeper leagues as he has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games this month.

#18 It has been a running theme here this season how unpredictable goaltenders can be. Among the 27 goaltenders that have appeared in at least four games this month, here are the leaders in save percentage: Juuse Saros (.953), Filip Gustavsson (.944), Connor Hellebuyck (.939), Petr Mrazek (.938), and Joey Daccord (.934). You will be forgiven for doing a double take at the last two names on that list. Then take a look at the other end. Here are the bottom five goaltenders for save percentage in December, minimum four games: Arvid Soderblom (.844), Igor Shesterkin (.865), Jake Oettinger (.868), Sergei Bobrovsky (.878), and Joonas Korpisalo (.884). Shesterkin and Oettinger are unexpected entries but consider that this is a very small sample size and not representative of a goalie’s overall value.

#19 Among defenceman to play at least 50 minutes this month, the leaders in individual expected goals per 60 minutes: Jacob MacDonald (0.93), Charlie McAvoy (0.61), Darnell Nurse (0.57), K’Andre Miller (0.55), and Drew Doughty (0.54). Leaders in shots on goal per 60 minutes: Mike Reilly (11.73), Justin Faulk (11.27), Jacob MacDonald (10.24), Rasmus Dahlin (9.47), and Morgan Rielly (8.90). MacDonald does have three goals in five games in December, but it is still tough to trust that he will have regular ice time in San Jose. Reilly is making the most of his opportunity with the Islanders. He has four points (1 G, 3 A) and 15 shots on goal in his past five games and played a season high 20:37 in Wednesdays win over Anaheim.

#20 Forwards who have yet to score in December with the highest total of shots on goal: Cole Caufield (29), Dylan Cozens (22), Yanni Gourde (22), Carl Grundstrom (18), Timo Meier (18), and Cam Atkinson (18). This should be encouraging, that these players are still generating shots on goal and that eventually leads to actual goals. In the case of someone like Caufield, who has established his credentials as a finisher, it would seem to be just a matter of time before he breaks through.

FANTASY: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Farabee stepping up for Flyers – Injuries open door to opportunity – Goalies bouncing back – Early-season underachievers that might offer potential buy-low value + much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:43:45 +0000

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 10: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Joel Farabee (86) with the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks played on November 10, 2023 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Joel Farabee is stepping up for the Flyers, injuries open the door for opportunities, goalies bouncing back, and early-season underachievers that might offer potential buy-low value.

#1 Although Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee hit a career high with 39 points (15 G, 24 A) last season, it was widely regarded as a disappointing campaign. He was recovering from disc replacement surgery in his neck and both his shot rate and shooting percentage declined. This season, however, Farabee is a vital part of the Flyers’ ability to exceed expectations. He has 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 16 games and all 12 points have come during five-on-five play; his 3.52 points per 60 ranks ninth in the league and while his lack of power play production does put a ceiling on Farabee’s potential production, he has already taken steps forward from last season.

#2 Buffalo Sabres star centre Tage Thompson has been lost for “less than a couple of months” with a wrist injury. His absence will require Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt to anchor the top two centre spots on the Sabres depth chart. Cozens has one assist in his past six games and is averaging less ice time per game than he did last season, so this will provide ample opportunity for him to get back on track. Mittelstadt has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in 16 games, though with just 21 shots, he does have room to increase his offensive impact.

#3 The Anaheim Ducks placed centre Trevor Zegras on the injured list with a groin injury and he had just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games when they decided that he needed a break. That theoretically could open the door for more ice time for rookie centre Leo Carlsson, who has eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 11 games, but he’s already averaging 18:18 of ice time per game when he plays, so it is difficult to expect and 18-year-old to get much more ice time. Maybe it’s more reasonable to expect Mason McTavish to take on a little more, as the 20-year-old has 16 points (7 G, 9 A) in 16 games while logging 17:32 of ice time per game.

#4 A neck injury has put Avalanche left winger Artturi Lehkonen on the shelf, creating an opportunity for Valeri Nichushkin to skate with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on Colorado’s top line. MacKinnon has been Nichushkin’s most common linemate this season already, but adding Rantanen does spice things up a bit. Nichushkin has produced five points (4 G, 1 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past five games.

#5 Florida Panthers defencemen Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad are both nearing returns to action, on the precipice of making their seasons debuts for last season’s Stanley Cup finalists. The most intriguing effect will likely fall on Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the 32-year-old defender whose play has been in decline for several seasons. Given a new lease on life in Florida, he has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in 16 games, but half of those points have come on the power play and Montour’s return could take away Ekman-Larsson’s top unit power play role.

#6 An upper-body injury has landed Nashville Predators centre Tommy Novak on injured reserve for the next four-to-six weeks. With 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 14 games, he is ranked third in scoring on the Predators and half of those points have come on the power play. Cody Glass gets first crack at Novak’s ice time, but he had better pick up the pace as he has yet to record a point in seven games this season.

#7 New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes appears to be on the verge of returning from his upper-body injury. The Devils’ playmaking centre has 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 10 games, outrageous production and, given the landscape among the league’s top scorers, Hughes has a legitimate case to at least be in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Michael McLeod, who has three points (1 G, 2 A) in the past five games, is likely to slide back down the depth chart when Hughes is ready to return.

#8 It seems that nearly every week there is some example of how unpredictable goaltending can be from one season to the next, never mind smaller samples like one week to the next or one game to the next. Consider the case of St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, who had a .897 save percentage in 98 games over the previous two seasons. This season, his save percentage is up to XXXX and, at least before the Blues were blown out by the San Jose Sharks Thursday night (in a game started by Joel Hofer), goaltending had been helping the Blues get back to a more competitive level.

#9 Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson was an elite performer early in his career, posting a .921 save percentage from 2013-2014 through 2018-2019, but then the burden of playing behind a suspect Ducks defence started to catch up to him and from 2019-2020 through 2022-2023, his save percentage had fallen to .902. This season, however, Gibson has a .927 save percentage in nine starts. With the Ducks more competitive than expected, Gibson is once again a valuable commodity for fantasy managers.

#10 In the previous two seasons, with the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks, Petr Mrazek had a .893 save percentage. In eight games this season, he is rocking a .921 save percentage. The wins don’t come easily in the Windy City, but if Mrazek is going to play at this above-average level, he is going to be fantasy relevant, which was not a widely held expectation for him at the start of the season.

#11 Edmonton Oilers left winger Evander Kane erupted for a hat trick in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Seattle. Following a slow start, Kane has produced 14 points (7 G, 7 A) and 34 shots on goal in the past 10 games, which puts him up among the top wingers because when the scoring is there, he also generates shots and provides a physical presence (56 hits in 15 games).

#12 Matt Duchene did not record a point in his first four games for the Dallas Stars, which saw him get waived in many fantasy hockey leagues, but the trend has reversed in a hurry. In 10 games since, Duchene has produced 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 25 shots on goal, thriving on a line with Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment.

#13 Part of Winnipeg’s return in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, Alex Iafallo has been a quality supporting winger for the Jets. He could stand to shoot the puck more, but Iafallo has nine points (1 G, 8 A) in his past six games, and he is riding shotgun with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele on the Jets’ top line as well as holding down a spot on Winnipeg’s top power play unit.

#14 After a brilliant performance at the World Championships, 21-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger J.J. Peterka entered this season with some expectations. He started slowly, but has now delivered nine points (4 G, 5 A) in the past nine games, a sign that he could be ready to make a leap in only his second NHL campaign.

#15 A couple of early AHL call-ups have made an instant impact in the NHL. Calgary’s Connor Zary, a first-round pick in 2020, has six points (3 G, 3 A) in seven games, though he has just one shot on goal in the past three, leaving him with 11 shots on goal in those seven games. That needs to bounce back up for his production to have a higher likelihood of sustainability. Zary and fellow rookie Martin Pospisil have been flanking Nazem Kadri on the Flames’ second line. Toronto’s Nick Robertson is no longer Calder Trophy eligible after various stints with the Maple Leafs in the past three seasons, but the 22-year-old does have four points (2 G, 2 A) in four games since getting promoted from the AHL, where he had 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in nine games. Robertson is skating with Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok in a third line that suddenly has some offensive pop to it.

#16 The leader in expected goals per 60 minutes (minimum 50 minutes of ice time) during the month of November is Bruins left winger Brad Marchand (2.09), ahead of Alex Tuch (2.06), Timo Meier (2.04), Connor McMichael (2.02), and Kevin Fiala (2.00). McMichael stands out of that group as he is not nearly as established as an offensive force. With Nicklas Backstrom stepping away from the Capitals, McMichael is looking at a bigger role and has four points (2 G, 2 A) with 12 shots on goal in the past four games and could be a buy-low option in deep leagues. At the other end of the spectrum, there are some forwards who have not been generating chances and it is no surprise if fourth liners have a low rate of expected goals, but Alex Newhook (0.19), Kaapo Kakko (0.21), Matthew Poitras (0.33), and Pavel Zacha (0.36) – all of whom have some expectation of offensive production - are among the forwards in the bottom 20 when it comes to individual expected goals in November.

#17 Looking specifically at five-on-four power play situations, which players are being put in position to score with the man advantage? The leader in individual expected goals per 60 minutes (minimum 40 five-on-four minutes this season) is Florida’s Sam Reinhart (4.05), ahead of Joe Pavelski (3.67), Sidney Crosby (3.53), Drake Batherson (3.35), Vincent Trocheck (3.31), and Tommy Novak (3.28).

#18 While there are some players scoring on a ridiculously high percentage of shots, that likely won’t be sustainable – looking at you, Alexis Lafreniere (29.2%) and Brock Boeser (27.1%) – there are players at the other end who are generating shots on goal and not finding the net. Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell has zero goals on 40 shots. He has had some seasons in which his shooting percentages are terrible, but zero for forty is a real struggle, especially for a player who is skating on a line with Reilly Smith and Evgeni Malkin, two skilled linemates. Others that might be buy-low considerations with zero goals: Josh Anderson (38 shots) and T.J. Oshie (28 shots).

#19 Spinning this to the players that have underachieved the most relative to their expected goals thus far, Oshie (-5.54) and Anderson (-5.31) have fallen shortest of their expected goals totals, followed by Matthew Tkachuk (-5.00), Anders Lee (-4.64), and Rakell (-4.31). These guys are getting chances but can’t finish. On the other hand, the players exceeding their expected goals by the widest margin thus far are: Kyle Connor (6.29), Alex DeBrincat (6.07), Frank Vatrano (5.96), Teuvo Teravainen (5.48), and Chris Kreider (5.08). These are players off to great starts, but sustainability could be a challenge.

#20 One of the bigger tests of any buy-low theory is Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Johnny Gaudreau. He and Patrick Laine were benched in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Arizona, and Gaudreau has a paltry six points (1 G, 5 A) and 40 shots on goal through 17 games. Gaudreau’s shot rate is down to 2.35 per game and if he can’t make it work with a shooter like Laine, then the Blue Jackets need to make some changes because it makes no sense to invest so much in Gaudreau, only to let him wither on the vine with a line that isn’t working. Gaudreau and Laine have controlled the flow of play to some degree at five-on-five, with 57.3% Corsi, but they are pulling just 40.9% of expected goals and that isn’t going to cut it. It’s notable that Gaudreau has had more success with his most common linemate, Boone Jenner, with a 58.5% Corsi and 58.0% of expected goals. Somehow, some way, the Blue Jackets need to find the right fit for Gaudreau and fantasy managers can lurk and wait for the answer because Gaudreau’s value right now is about as low as it could get.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Devils dealing with injuries at centre – the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, Hronek, Schwartz, and E. Kane are among the players heating up + much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 19:08:09 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 12: New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (91) looks on during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils on October 12, 2023 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, the Devils dealing with injuries at centre, the Sharks finally add a puck-moving defenceman, an injury to Jordan Eberle, while Filip Hronek, Jaden Schwartz, and Evander Kane are among the players heating up.

#1 One of the main reasons to like the chances of the New Jersey Devils is their 1-2 combination down the middle of the ice. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier provide the Devils with top-end talent at important positions and, at the moment, both are out of the lineup. Hughes got off to a phenomenal start, with 20 points (5 G, 15 A) in 10 games before suffering an upper-body injury. Hischier struggled early, managing two goals in seven games then suffering his own upper-body injury. With Hughes and Hischier out, Dawson Mercer has moved back to the middle of the ice and Michael McLeod is taking on a bigger role. Mercer has one goal and zero assists in a dozen games. McLeod has three points (1 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 16 minutes of ice time per game in the past four games.

#2 The San Jose Sharks are off to a miserable start, posting a 2-10-1 record, but they are taking a worthwhile shot on a young defenceman, acquiring Calen Addison from the Minnesota Wild for winger Adam Raska and a fifth-round pick in 2026. Addison is a puck-moving defenceman and power play quarterback who is suspect defensively, but his ability to work the power play fills a glaring hole on the Sharks’ roster. Since the start of last season, Addison has 34 points (3 G, 31 A) in 76 games, with 21 of those 34 points coming with the man advantage. In San Jose, he ought to be the first unit power play quarterback very soon, if not immediately.

#3 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle suffered a leg injury when he was gashed by a skate in practice. The 33-year-old Eberle has four points (1 G, 3 A) in 13 games and is replaced on the top line, with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann, by Kailer Yamamoto, who has four points (2 G, 2 A) in 14 games.

#4 While the hype has been following Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes – and deservedly so – his partner, Filip Hronek is having a great start to the season. An assist in Thursday’s 5-2 win at Ottawa ran Hronek’s scoring streak to eight games, during which he has recorded 11 assists. The 26-year-old blueliner has recorded 39 points and 38 points, respectively, in the past two seasons, but has 14 assists in 13 games to open this season.

#5 Staying healthy can be a challenge for Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz, but he is healthy and thriving right now. With a goal and an assist at Colorado on Thursday, Schwartz picked up a goal and an assist, running his point streak to eight games, during which Schwartz has produced 11 points (5 G, 6 A).

#6 The Edmonton Oilers have stumbled out of the gate and winger Evander Kane had just one assist and 11 shots on goal in the first five games. Since then, however, Kane’s production is much more typical. He has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games.

#7 Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri was terrible to start the season, recording one assist through his first eight games, and he was even shifted to the wing as the Flames were left looking for answers. They are still looking but Kadri has returned to centre and has a four-game point streak during which he has tallied six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal.

#8 A reliable, if unheralded, forward Calle Jarnkrok has been doing his part to help the Maple Leafs emerge from their early-season doldrums. He is riding a four-game point streak, during which he has five points (2 G, 3 A) and nine shots on goal. He has been skating on a line with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, the latter recently promoted from the American Hockey League.

#9 After battling injuries in recent seasons, Montreal Canadiens centre Sean Monahan is healthy and in prime form this season. He recorded an assist in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win at Detroit, running his point streak to seven games. Monahan has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 20 shots on goal in those seven games, and he is anchoring a veteran line with Tanner Pearson and Brendan Gallagher on the wings.

#10 It seems like every week the unpredictability of goaltending raises its ugly head but sometimes, that unpredictability can work in a positive fashion. Take the case of Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, a 36-year-old coming off a season in which he had a .898 save percentage in 36 games for Ottawa but in his first 10 starts for the Kings, he has delivered a .930 save percentage. With Pheonix Copley struggling (he has a .792 save percentage through four games), there could be a temptation for the Kings to lean heavily on Talbot, but that might not be ideal for his long-term performance.

#11 More teams are getting into the plan of having three goaltenders available and the Carolina Hurricanes seem to be at the forefront of that plan. It makes sense because their veteran goaltenders are not especially durable and with Frederik Andersen landing on the injured list, the Hurricanes can bring in Pyotr Kochetkov and not miss a beat. At least that is the theory. Kochetkov will see more action with Andersen injured, but has a .836 save percentage in his first three starts for the Hurricanes.

#12 Injuries are also forcing some teams to turn to their third goaltenders. For the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick are dealing with lingering injuries, prompting the recall of Louis Domingue from the American Hockey League. He stopped 25 of 26 shots in Thursday’s win against Minnesota. The 31-year-old has a .905 save percentage in 143 career NHL games, so he is capable of providing competent goaltending in a pinch and it appears that the Rangers need that right now. Pittsburgh is in a similar situation with Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic out, leading to Magnus Hellberg getting recalled. Hellberg does not have the same track record – a .890 save percentage in 26 games – but the 32-year-old netminder might be in line to see more action than expected.

#13 There may be no team facing a more difficult goaltending situation than the Edmonton Oilers. They have waived Jack Campbell to the AHL, recalling Chet Pickard, leaving Stuart Skinner as the No. 1 option for now. Skinner was the runner-up in voting for the Calder Trophy last season but has a .854 save percentage in eight appearances this season. For an Oilers team that had plans on contending to start the year, that isn’t going to cut it, and Edmonton might have to explore the trade market if they can’t get more saves.

#14 Talk about the nick of time, there are three productive Nicks that are widely available in fantasy. Start with Arizona’s Nick Bjugstad, the towering veteran centre who has seven points (1 G, 6 A) in his past eight games, playing more than 17 minutes per game over that stretch. His teammate, Nick Schmaltz, comes with more of an offensive pedigree. Not only does Schmaltz have 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 13 games, but he is playing more than 20 minutes per game and is averaging a career-high 2.46 shots on goal per game. The third Nick for consideration is Nick Paul in Tampa Bay. Paul has scored seven goals in 14 games, including four goals on the power play, which increases the fantasy relevance of a player who is normally known for his work in a checking role.

#15 Earlier in the season, the Seattle Kraken weren’t getting production from their centres but as that has changed, a few more wins are finding their way to the Kraken. Yanni Gourde, who had one goal and zero assists in the first eight games, has bounced back with six points (1 G, 5 A) in the past six games. Matty Beniers, who had just three assists in his first 11 games, has four points (1 G, 3 A) during a three-game point streak.

#16 Another slow starter, Arizona winger Lawson Crouse had zero points in the first five games of the season but has put up eight points (5 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in the seven games since. Because of his physical play, Crouse has value in banger leagues, but when he’s cooking, he scores enough to have value in deeper standard leagues, too.

#17 While Connor Bedard is deservedly drawing the most interest among the rookie class, especially after a four-point game against Tampa Bay on Thursday, there are some other freshman forwards making a mark, too. Philadelphia’s Bobby Brink, a second-round pick in 2019, has been held off the scoresheet in four of the past five games, but also has three multi-point games this season on his way to eight points (3 G, 5 A) in 12 games. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi had just one assist in 19 games for the Wild last season but has started to find his range. Rossi has six points (4 G, 2 A) while averaging more than 17 minutes of ice time in the past eight games. Nashville’s Luke Evangelista remains Calder Trophy eligible after playing 24 games, and scoring 15 points (7 G, 8 A) last season. He started slowly, but has eight points (1 G, 7 A) in the past nine games and is getting first unit power play time. Calgary’s Connor Zary was called up after scoring 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in six AHL games. Zary is skating on Nazem Kadri’s wing and has produced three points (1 G, 2 A) in his first three games for the Flames.

#18 A few sophomores of note, too: Arizona’s Matias Maccelli has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in his past 10 games, building on a rookie season that saw him finish fourth in Calder Trophy voting. Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti had his rookie season shortened by injury but is asserting himself in his second season. He has six points (2 G, 4 A) during a five-game point streak. Buffalo’s JJ Peterka is heating up, with six points (3 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Peterka was named best forward at the World Championships, and could be primed for a breakout season.

#19 Tampa Bay’s Alex Barré-Boulet has been hovering on the fringes of the NHL for a while, managing eight points (6 G, 2 A) in 32 games over the previous three seasons, but the 26-year-old might be finally ready to hold a regular spot. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past nine games and while his ice time remains inconsistent, continued production could help solve that issue, and he is getting a chance on a line with Nick Paul and Steven Stamkos.

#20 One of the most puzzling players early in the season has to be the Islanders’ Anders Lee. His ice time is down to 15:49 per game, his lowest since 2016-2017, and he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games. He has 26 shots on goal and, as a net-front force, he is among the leaders in individual expected goals during five-on-five play. That might suggest he is a buy-low option because it’s hard to imagine him continuing at this pace.